In Quetta, a sit-in protest over the Ziarat terrorist attack has entered its fifth day, with families of the slain police officers refusing to bury their loved ones until their demands are met. The demonstration at Koila Phatak resumed Monday after a one-day pause, as negotiations between a government committee and protest representatives continued late into the night. Main Developments Seven bodies of the martyred police personnel remain seated at the protest camp, where family members and organizers have vowed not to bury them until all demands are accepted. The key demands include establishing an independent and empowered judicial commission to investigate the Ziarat attack, eliminating terrorist groups from affected areas such as Ziarat, Harnai, Hanna Urak, Shaban, and Zarghoon, and restoring the Levies Force. Political party leaders, civil society members, and tribal elders visited the sit-in camp throughout the day. The government team held talks with representatives of the All Parties Alliance and the victims' families, with negotiations still ongoing as night fell. Read also: Why IHC Judge Interviews Mark a Judicial Shift in Pakistan Background The Ziarat terrorist attack, which killed several police personnel, has sparked widespread outrage in Balochistan. Senior politician and former Senator Nawabzada Lashkari Raisani addressed the protesters, alleging that recent bloodshed in Pashtun areas is linked to land acquisition and resource policies under the Mines and Minerals Act and the Defence Housing Authority Act. He argued these laws could displace local tribes around Quetta and strip Balochistan's people of control over natural resources. Raisani claimed the latest incidents are part of a continuing cycle of violence spanning seven decades, and condemned attempts to create ethnic divisions between Baloch and Pashtun communities. He called for a grand jirga to address Balochistan's political and security challenges. Why It Matters The protest underscores growing demands for accountability and security reforms in Balochistan, a province long plagued by insurgency and resource disputes. The families' refusal to bury the dead amplifies pressure on authorities to address grievances over terrorism and governance, with potential implications for regional stability and ethnic harmony. What's Next Negotiations between the government committee and protest representatives are expected to continue. Raisani and former Chief Minister Nawab Raisani have offered to convene a large jirga to discuss Balochistan's future, though no timeline has been set. The families' demands for a judicial commission and elimination of terrorist groups remain unresolved, leaving the outcome uncertain.