Quetta sit-in ends after abducted tribesmen return home

A tense standoff in Quetta concluded as protesters lifted their five-day sit-in at the Airport Road after the successful release of 11 abducted tribesmen. The demonstration began after an armed group attacked the Hanna Urak Valley area on July 5, resulting in the deaths of five tribesmen, injuries to eight, and the kidnapping of eleven.

The blockade of Airport Road had significantly disrupted traffic in the city for five days. The release of the kidnapped individuals late Thursday night, following negotiations between Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti and protest leaders, paved the way for the protest's end. The bodies of the five slain tribesmen were also handed over to their families for burial.

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If there had been any mistakes on the part of the government at any level, they would be acknowledged and addressed, and every possible effort would be made to provide justice and relief to the affected people.

Balochistan's Home Department Media Adviser, Babar Yousafzai, confirmed the recovery of all abducted individuals. Reports indicate that tribal and religious leaders played a crucial role in mediating with the kidnappers. Chief Minister Bugti visited the protesters late Thursday, engaging in detailed discussions. His spokesperson, Shahid Rind, stated that negotiations with the protest committee were successful, leading to the agreement to end the sit-in.

Despite this resolution, a separate protest continues. Families of policemen killed in Ziarat are staging their own sit-in after 30 officers lost their lives. They have blocked traffic between Quetta, Pishin, and Ziarat, demanding security guarantees and justice. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif arrived in Quetta to chair an emergency meeting addressing the ongoing security crisis.

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All abducted people had been recovered.