What happened
Families of policemen killed in a terrorist attack in Balochistan’s Ziarat district ended their sit-in in Quetta on 18 July 2026 after reaching an agreement with the provincial government the previous night, according to The Express Tribune and Daily Times.
The protest had been staged at Quetta’s Koila Phatak since 9 July, with relatives of the slain officers keeping the bodies of seven of the martyrs at the site while demanding justice and accountability. The bodies were shifted to their native areas and the road was reopened to traffic after 10 days.
On 6 July, 27 policemen were killed in an attack on a police post at the Mangi Dam pumping station in Ziarat district. Officials said nine officers were killed in the initial assault, while 18 others were abducted and later murdered. A separate attack in the Hanna Urak area killed five tribesmen, injured eight and saw 11 abducted.
What the agreement provides
The provincial government accepted the families’ demands. Under the written agreement, a judicial commission will be set up to investigate both the Ziarat attack and the Hanna Urak incident. A high-level meeting chaired by Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti will bring together opposition leaders and the martyrs’ families to review the province’s security challenges.
The victims will be formally recognised as martyrs under government policy, and their families will receive financial compensation, assistance packages and educational support for their children. Koila Phatak Chowk was renamed Shuhada-i-Ziarat Chowk, and selected public buildings, police stations, schools and health facilities are to be named after the martyrs, the reports said.
The agreement was signed by Balochistan Home Minister Ziaullah Langove for the government and Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party Secretary General Abdul Rahim Ziaratwal for the protesting families.
Why it matters
The sit-in had paralysed a main junction in Quetta for 10 days and drawn support from political parties and traders. Ending it removes an immediate flashpoint in the provincial capital while leaving the promised judicial inquiry and compensation as the measures meant to address the families’ grievances. Chief Minister Bugti said the government had begun implementing the agreement’s provisions immediately and described the fallen officers as national heroes.
Sources & reporting notes
This is a summary of published reporting, not independent reporting. Details are as carried by the cited sources, which were reviewed on 2026-07-18.
- The Express Tribune — "Breakthrough deal ends Ziarat sit-in"18 July 2026 · The written agreement, the judicial commission and the compensation package.
- Daily Times — "Quetta sit-in ends after government reaches agreement with martyrs' families"18 July 2026 · The timeline of the protest, the Ziarat attack casualty figures and the reopening of the road.
