ISLAMABAD: On Thursday, the interim federal government freed 34 additional Baloch demonstrators who had been detained during last week’s police raid in Islamabad.
All detained Baloch protestors have been released, according to a statement, upon the recommendation of the negotiation team led by Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar. It further stated that following their compliance with the law, the arrested protesters were freed.
The demonstrators had discussions with the PM’s negotiation team, which was led by acting Privatization Minister Fawad Hasan Fawad. The marchers had called for the arrestees’ immediate release.
Following the initial round of negotiations, the administration issued an order for the release of every woman protestor who had been detained during the police crackdown.
It is important to note that earlier this month, protesters protested against the “extra-judicial killing” of a Baloch youth by officers from the Counter-Terrorism Department in Turbat.
On Wednesday, December 20, the lengthy march headed by Baloch women, which began on December 6, arrived at Islamabad.
Police broke up the protestors’ camps outside the National Press Club and began to crack down on them as soon as they got to the capital. Anguish was felt across the nation as the police arrested the majority of the protestors.
The government side justified the crackdown prior to the recent developments, claiming it was an essential step to prevent a “catastrophe”.
According to Fawad, the police crackdown was initiated when a few “local people” joined the demonstrators and attempted to disturb the peace and order situation. The minister asserted, “Some people came there and started pelting stones—with their faces covered.”
He did concede, though, that the demonstrators who traveled from Balochistan to Islamabad were not part of the violence.
Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb of the Islamabad High Court brought attention to the unfair treatment of demonstrators during a hearing over their release.
Analysts, politicians, and human rights organizations all harshly denounced the police use of force on Baloch protestors.
