Staff Reporter:
Provincial Minister Raheela Durrani revealed that Sardar Akhtar Mengal has declined to end the sit-in until his demands are fully addressed. Durrani, who was part of a delegation of women parliamentarians, said they visited the protest site to urge Mengal to call off the demonstration in view of growing public difficulties.
According to her, Mengal’s initial reaction was to question who had sent them. She explained that while they acknowledged his concerns, some of the issues he raised are already under judicial review and cannot be resolved outside the courts.
For over two weeks, Sardar Akhtar Mengal has been leading a sit-in at Lak Pass in Balochistan’s Mastung district, calling for the immediate release of Dr. Mahrang Baloch and other detained women activists. He has made it clear that the protest will not end unless all the women prisoners are freed.
PML-N parliamentary leader Salim Khoso, along with other party ministers, also attempted to initiate dialogue with Mengal in hopes of reaching a resolution. However, efforts to mediate have so far proven unsuccessful.
It’s important to recall that a suicide blast occurred near the Lak Pass protest site last month. Fortunately, no casualties were reported, and the protest continued undeterred.