Govt ‘releases’ all women, children of Baloch protest

ISLAMABAD: Following widespread condemnations over the police crackdown against Baloch protesters in Islamabad, the caretaker government on Thursday asserted that all women and children had been released, ARY News reported.

“On directions of PM Anwaarul Haq Kakar, all the women and children protesters were released,” said privatisation minister Fawad Hasan Fawad at a press conference in Islamabad alongside Information Minister Murtaza Solangi and culture minister Syed Jamal Shah.

Earlier in the day, Islamabad police detained numerous Baloch protesters after using water cannons and baton charges to break the protest against enforced disappearances. Condemnations from human rights organisations and analysts poured in, castigating the “crackdown” on the Baloch protesters.

Soon after the arrests, Baloch Yekjehti Committee (BYC) filed a petition in the Islamabad High Court. IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq warned Islamabad IG Akbar Nasir Khan against any hindrance in the protest, saying that they have the constitutional right to demonstration.

Meanwhile, Caretaker premier Anwaarul Haq Kakar formed a three-member committee comprising Solangi, Fawad and Jamal Shah to hold talks with the families of the protesters. Following the talks, an immediate order for the release of the detained individuals was issued.

The ministers, who were part of the committee, also held a press conference in the federal capital, saying that the force was used to avoid a “catastrophe”.

Fawad Hasan Fawad emphasised that peaceful protests had been ongoing outside the press club for several days, without any interference.

“We have complete conviction that the people coming from Balochistan have done nothing wrong, but some local elements exploited the situation, which led to clashes between the protesters and the law enforcers,” Fawad Hassan claimed.

“Some people — with their faces covered — came there and started pelting stones,” the minister claimed. He added that the protesters were earlier requested to stage their demonstration at F-9 Park where they could be given “protection and security”.

He said the Islamabad High Court has too sought a report from the Islamabad IG about the protesters and the government does not want to take any decision on a sub-judice matter.

The minister said that Islamabad police had been directed to release all the women and children. “Some of them are yet to be identified,” he said, adding that 90% of the men arrested during the crackdown have been released.

Fawad pointed out Pakistan’s security situation and said the administration, police and intelligence agencies had “clear and credible evidence” that if people were gathered on a main street for an extended period, the situation would be exploited.