ISLAMABAD: Police in numerous regions of the federal capital apprehended numerous Baloch lengthy march protesters after using water canons and baton charges to interrupt the protest towards enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings early on Wednesday.
Social media photos confirmed security forces using water cannons and tear gasoline, as well as forcibly loading Baloch protesters into police vehicles.
an afternoon in advance, the Baloch Yekjehti Committee (BYC) members and different protesters were stopped from entering Islamabad. The long march changed into started out towards the alleged extrajudicial killing of Balach Baloch.
The Islamabad police blocked access points of the city to save you the protesters from attaining the country wide Press membership. The protest aimed to voice resentment until concrete movement become taken in opposition to the ones implicated within the killing of Baloch.
The protesters, accuse the Counter-Terrorism department (CTD) of unjustly branding Balach Baloch a terrorist and wearing out his cold-blooded killing. The CTD vehemently denies those allegations, putting forward that the incident resulted from an armed conflict among “miscreants” and safety forces in the Pasni street vicinity of Turbat.
government says all ladies and children were released
Following outcry over the baton-charging and arrests of Baloch protesters, the caretaker government said on Thursday that all ladies and youngsters were released.
“on the directives of the top of the line, it changed into decided that each one women and children, without any exceptions, have been launched. further, all men who’ve been identified have also been launched,” said privatisation minister Fawad Hasan Fawad at a press conference in Islamabad along statistics Minister Murtaza Solangi and subculture minister Syed Jamal Shah.
The development had come hours after unanimous condemnations from human rights companies, analysts and flesh presser had poured in criticising the “violent kingdom crackdown” at the Baloch protesters. Islamabad police had arrested dozens of Baloch males and females last night time for the duration of an illustration in opposition to enforced disappearances and further-judicial killings.
movies of the arrests shared on social media confirmed protection officers firing water canons and tear gas at the protesters. they might additionally be visible dragging Baloch women and men into police trucks and beating them with clubs.The police additionally dismantled camps and loudspeakers installation through the demonstrators outside the national Press club.
Following the outcry, the authorities had formed a negotiating crew comprising Solangi, Fawad and Shah to keep talks with the households of the protesters.
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for the duration of the clicking convention, Fawad said that a scenario turned into advanced in which police clashed with protesters. He similarly stated that the Islamabad police leader Akbar Nasir Khan had also provided the facts before the Islamabad excessive courtroom (IHC).
He said that the IG instructed the court that protesters were present from in advance and they did now not instigate the chaos. Fawad stated that there were some human beings present who had already made positive to cover their faces and had planned what to do.
The minister said that the protesters have been cautioned to protest at some other region. “but, they did no longer pay heed to this recommendation and once they advanced, the local detail which had plans to exploit the situation did take advantage of it and created such a state of affairs,” he stated.
The minister said that the government negotiating group met the protesters, who stated that that they had no purpose of making a law and order scenario. “As I stated earlier than, our conviction is that the protesters from Balochistan were now not accountable [for this],” he said, including that there have been locals that desired to take advantage of the scenario.
Fawad said that there had been some folks who were nonetheless being identified advert investigated. He said that the IHC had directed the Islamabad police chief to inform it approximately the process by tomorrow morning.
Baloch demonstrators have ‘constitutional right’ to protest: IHC
ISLAMABAD: Islamabad High Court (IHC) Chief Justice Aamer Farooq Thursday warned the capital city’s top cop against any hindrance in the protest staged by the Baloch marchers, saying that they have the constitutional right of demonstration.
The remark came during the hearing of a case pertaining to the “illegal” arrests of Baloch long march participants in Islamabad.
Islamabad Inspector General (IG) Akbar Nasir Khan appeared before the IHC bench upon being summoned by the CJ after the court took up a plea against the arrest of Baloch protesters — earlier in the day.
The long march participants were detained by authorities during a demonstration in Islamabad against the enforced disappearances of Baloch missing persons. The march began in Turbat and was heading towards the Islamabad Press Club when the police intercepted them late Wednesday night.
An advance party of Baloch Yakjehti Council (BYC) Wednesday reached Islamabad through the Motorway, but the police intercepted it at Chungi No. 26 and barricaded all the main and artery roads, including Kashmir Avenue, leading to the Red Zone.
“Two groups of BYC arrived unscheduled Wednesday evening but the authorities deployed police to block the mob as their motorcade reach Chungi No. 26,” police sources said, adding that one group comprising about 50 protesters had joined the BYC protesters already sitting in front of the National Press Club, however, the remaining protesters who reached by busses were cut off at Chungi No. 26.
Police sources said the law enforcement agencies were trying to clear the blocked roads by forcing the protesters away from the main road.
Human rights lawyer Imaan Mazari represented the protesters in the plea filed by long march organisers Sami Baloch and Abdul Salam.
During the hearing, IG Khan informed the court that the protestors had clubs and also pelted stones which resulted in injuries to some people.
He also apprised the CJ that the government has also formed a committee to address the grievances of the protesters.
At this, CJ Farooq said that the court doesn’t have the matter of the committee in front of it. Instead, he asked about the status of 86 marchers, named in the petition, who were arrested during the protest.
Responding to the question, the cop informed the court that there was no detail available of the listed individuals.
“Let them protest who have come to protest, its their constitutional right,” CJ Farooq remarked.
The IG further stated that all the people nominated in the FIR registered at the Tarnol Police Station have been released, while those arrested in the FIR registered at Kohsar Police Station have been presented before the magistrate.
“Some have been discharged, some have been [remanded] into judicial [custody], and some have been kept for identity parade,” he added.
The IHC CJ then warned the IG against any one of his officers impeding the protests.
After that, the court adjourned the hearing while seeking a report regarding the number of people detained, remanded in judicial custody, and released, by tomorrow (December 22).
