On Tuesday, two rival groups of the Mengal tribe, who engaged in armed clashes in the Wadh area of Khuzdar district for several weeks, finally abandoned their trenches.
Law enforcement personnel dispatched by the administration subsequently occupied these trenches, as confirmed by the Caretaker Chief Minister of Balochistan, Mir Ali Mardan Domki. The decision to vacate the trenches came after the provincial apex committee issued a four-day ultimatum in its last week’s meeting.
Officials in Wadh reported that security forces, including the police, Levies, and Frontier Corps, have taken control of the vacated trenches. Both groups withdrew their armed members from the trenches ahead of the ultimatum deadline, according to district officials.
The situation is now moving towards normalcy in Wadh town following the ceasefire and the withdrawal of armed individuals who occupied the trenches with heavy weaponry, such as machine guns, rocket launchers, and mortar shells. For the past two months, intermittent gun battles disrupted life in Wadh and the surrounding areas, resulting in 10 fatalities and at least 18 injuries, including bus passengers. This situation led to the closure of bazaars, shops, businesses, and shopping centers, with many residents relocating to Khuzdar, Hub, and Quetta.
The gunfights also forced the closure of government offices and educational institutions, resulting in damage to some buildings from mortar shells and rockets. After the trenches were vacated, traffic on the Quetta-Karachi highway resumed without hindrance, and bazaars and shopping centers in Wadh began to reopen, indicating a return to normalcy in the town.
However, residents noted that not all business centers and shops have reopened yet. It will take a few more days for a complete restoration of businesses. A heavy contingent of police and Frontier Corps personnel is patrolling Wadh town to ensure stability.
