BYC leaders, workers booked as sit-ins persist

Demonstrations continue across province for sixth consecutive day

QUETTA:

FIRs have been registered on Wednesday against members of the Baloch Solidarity Committee and participants of shutter-down strikes and rallies in several cities, including Barkhan and Othal.

The police have taken this action following widespread protests and sit-ins organised by the committee across Balochistan, demanding an end to what it claimed were human rights violations.

In response, Balochistan Home Minister Mir Ziaullah Langove condemned the violent nature of some protests and stated that the government would take action against those inciting aggression. He questioned the BYC and other human rights groups' silence during terrorist incidents in the region.

Despite the tense situation, protests have continued for six consecutive days in Gwadar and other areas, without any major incidents.

Security has been tightened across the province to maintain order. According to reports, the Othal police have registered an FIR against committee leaders and workers following a campaign involving pamphleteering and wall chalking to halt political activities related to Baloch Raji Machi. The Baloch Solidarity Committee reported that Qazi Sirajul Haq, a leader from Othal, has been arrested, with no information provided regarding his status. The detention of one of their leaders has raised serious concerns among protestors.

The protests, held on the call of the Baloch Youth Council (BYC), have led to complete strikes in various cities. The Baloch Solidarity Committee asserts that peaceful rallies are a fundamental right and criticised the authorities for raiding homes to make arrests. They have vowed to continue their demonstrations until the FIRs are withdrawn and the detentions cease.

The Balochistan government has reiterted its intention to find peaceful solution to issues relating to Balochistan. Chief Minister, Mir Sarfaraz Bugti said protesting was the constitutional rights of every citizen. However, no one would be allowed to the take law into their hands.

"We will not allow anyone to advance the nefarious agenda of the enemies of Pakistan," Bugti warned.

In Quetta, the provincial capital, the administration has taken strict security measures to maintain law and order. The main red zone that houses the Governor's House and Chief Minister's Secretariat has been sealed to avoid any protest. The Quetta deputy commissioner has also issued a notification and declared the main hockey ground as a place for public meetings and protests. “No one would will allowed to harm traffic and routine life”, the DC asserted in a statement.

Earlier, the BYC called for protest across Balochistan after several of its members were arrested in Gwadar and accusations of excessive force by security forces.

Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti addressed the provincial assembly, describing the protests as a conspiracy against the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project. Bugti asserted that some elements aimed to destabilise Gwadar, but were unsuccessful. He stated that the situation had returned to normal.

"We are ready to hold negotiations to find amicable solution of the protest", Mir Sarfaraz Bugti announced during the provincial assembly session.

According to Dr. Mahrang Baloch, leader of the Baloch Unity Committee, the sitaution was tense, and communication networks were down. Dr. Baloch, who had turned a rally into a sit-in, claims that the whereabouts of those arrested remain unknown, and reports suggest that the bodies of deceased protesters are being held in hospitals without public access.

An important meeting, chaired by Balochistan Home Minister Ziaullah Langove and attended by officials including DIG Naseerabad Range Ayaz Baloch, ADC Gwadar Sarabland Khosa, and AC Gwadar Jawad Zehri, concluded with claims that law enforcement effectively controlled the situation and that more than 20 individuals were arrested during the operations.

The Baloch Solidarity Committee, whose leaders Sibghatullah Shahji, Sami Deen Baloch, and Dr Saliha were reportedly arrested, has yet to receive official information about the status of these individuals. Dr. Mahrang Baloch has called for human rights groups’ support against what she describes as a "planned action" and urged for a peaceful resolution to the situation.

Gwadar MPA Maulana Hidayatur Rehman called for talks with protesters, opposing and condemning violence in all forms. “I am an elected MPA from Gwadar, but the government has not bothered to consult me regard the protest,” he lamented some days ago.