Caretaker govt releases women and children taken into custody after crackdown on Baloch protesters in Islamabad

Caretaker government on Thursday released all women and children taken into custody after a crackdown on Baloch protesters.

The Islamabad police had detained numerous Baloch men and women during a demonstration against enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings.

A women-led march from Turbat that was initiated on Dec 6 following the alleged extrajudicial killing of a Baloch youth, reached Islamabad on Wednesday, Dec 11.

However, the Islamabad police blocked entrances to the city and major routes leading to the National Press Club.

The development comes hours after unanimous condemnations of the “violent state crackdown” on the Baloch protesters from human rights organisations, analysts and politicians.

Privatisation Minister Fawad Hasan Fawad while addressing a press conference in Islamabad, accompanied by Information Minister Murtaza Solangi and Jamal Shah, said, “At the prime minister’s direction, a decision was made to release all women and children without exception. Additionally, all identified men have also been freed.”

Fawad Hasan Fawad also mentioned that the Islamabad police chief, Akbar Nasir Khan, presented facts before the Islamabad High Court (IHC), stating that the protesters were already present and not the instigators of the chaos.

He also noted the presence of individuals who had covered their faces and seemed prepared for certain actions.

Today’s development comes after the committee comprising the supervising federal ministers held talks with the participants of the Baloch Unity March in Islamabad, and assured them of removing all reservations, after which an order was given for the immediate release of the arrested protesting women.

On the issue of the police crackdown in Islamabad against the participants of the Baloch Unity March, caretaker Prime Minister Anwarul Haq Kakar formed a negotiation committee, the committee is chaired by Fawad Hasan Fawad, Federal Ministers Jamal Shah and Murtaza Solangi are also included in the committee.

Video clips doing rounds on social media showed security officials firing water canons and tear gas at the protesters. And also dragged them into police vans and beat them with clubs.

Islamabad Police have deployed water hoses and baton-charged peaceful Baloch demonstrators protesting extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances in #Balochistan since November 23. This evening, the police prevented the demonstrators from entering the capital city. pic.twitter.com/HT3FR9CxWr

— Kiyya Baloch (@KiyyaBaloch) December 20, 2023

#MarchAgainstBalochGenocide is under attack by the Islamabad police. Many of our youth have been arrested, & many have been injured by tear gas shelling and violence. Right now, we are being treated worse than animals. Will the world raise its voice for us against this barbarism? pic.twitter.com/zxDeGxT8zD

— Mahrang Baloch (@MahrangBaloch_) December 20, 2023

 

Earlier in the day, the District and Sessions Court of Islamabad ordered the release of 33 Baloch protesters, including Baloch leader Mahrang Baloch, on bail.

The police had requested the physical remand of 8 protesters and an identity parade of 25.

The court while ordering the protestors to submit a bail bond of Rs. 5000 each, said that the protesters should be kept on judicial remand in Adiala Jail till the deposit of bail bonds

The court said that sections 395 and 440 of the Pakistan Penal Code imposed in the case do not meet the facts, and all other provisions in the case are bailable provisions

On the other hand, the Islamabad High Court also heard a petition against the arrests and crackdown of Baloch Long March participants.

IG Islamabad said that the protesters had sticks and pelted stones, injuring some people.

Chief Justice Amir Farooq remarked that these are Pakistani citizens and protest is their constitutional right, no one has committed any terrorism.