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       QUETTA: Hundreds of workers and supporters of the Balochistan National Party-Mengal blocked the Quetta-Karachi National Highway at Wadh, near Khuzdar, on Thursday in protest against the lodging of FIRs against BNP-M leaders, tribal elders, and traders.

       The protesters burned tyres on the road, leading to suspension of traffic on both sides of the highway.

       Sardar Akhtar Mengal, the BNP chief, and his son Sardarzada Gorgain Mengal have been offering voluntary arrest at a police station in Wadh for the past one week in protest against the “filing of baseless cases” against workers and supporters of the party.

       “Over 1,200 people, including my son, have been falsely implicated in multiple cases. The government’s incompetence is evident as it has even framed women, children and even dead individuals in these cases.”

       Akhtar Mengal said that despite their eight-day sit-in at the police station, they had neither been arrested nor had their cases been withdrawn.

       “Filing thousands of cases in a single day is nothing but a failed attempt to intimidate us. We will remain at the police station until we are either arrested or bogus cases are withdrawn.”

       He said three out of four case s had been dropped, but one major case was still pending, which includes terrorism charges.

       Published in Dawn, March 7th, 2025