Many booked in Karachi as police break up BYC protest
KARACHI/QUETTA: As the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) continued its protests against rights violations and the arrest of its supporters, Karachi police on Monday detained BYC leader Sammi Deen Baloch and several others for violating Section 144 and used force to break up their demonstration.
On the other hand, BYC Chief Organiser Dr Mahrang Baloch was not produced before a court, despite the lapse of more than 24 hours since her detention, while protests against her arrest continued in Quetta and other parts of Balochistan, with police using tear gas to disperse protesters in some cases.
In Karachi, Artillery Maidan police booked Sammi Deen Baloch and five other detained activists under Section 188 (disobedience to an order duly promulgated by a public servant) for violating Section 144, South DIG Syed Asad Raza told Dawn.
Other detained protesters were identified as Abdul Wahab, Mustafa Ali, Shahzad Rab, Hamza Iftikhar and Sultan Hamal.
The FIR registered on the complaint of a policeman stated that about 35-40 men and women arrived at Fawara Chowk and attempted to enter the Red Zone. The complainant said the police tried to prevent them, but the protesters allegedly entered the sensitive area forcibly.
The police took action and detained Sammi Deen Baloch, Abdul Wahab and four other nominated persons, while others fled.
Ahead of the protest, the commissioner imposed Section 144, and all roads leading to the Karachi Press Club — the venue of the protest — were blocked with the help of temporary barriers. This caused massive traffic jams in the city centre, where citizens remained stuck for hours and many of them were seen breaking their fast on the road.
Counter-protests
Meanwhile, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan’s Qazi Khizar, one of the participants of the protest, told Dawn that the civil society groups, certain political figures and a large number of young people, particularly women, arrived near the press club, but three routes leading to it were blocked.
Thus, they were compelled to gather at Fawara Chowk near Zainab Market, he said, adding that when they attempted to move further, the police contingents prevented them from moving forward in light of Section 144.
The HRCP activist claimed they agreed to disperse, but suddenly, the police started manhandling the activists, including women.
“The police adopted a brutal way to deal with the protestors,” he alleged, adding that 13 women were taken away and the number of men arrested by police was unknown.
He said it was strange that in contrast to their peaceful protest, there were several persons who claimed to represent a religious group and others were seen chanting slogans and demonstrating against the Baloch activists under police protection. The counter-protests were held at the KPC and in the vicinity of the same area.
Talking about counter-protests that were also staged alongside the BYC’s demonstration, the DIG said that ‘pro-state’ groups had also organised a counter-protest at Fawara Chowk. They were also dispersed, he claimed, adding that no one was allowed to organise public protests or assemblies in light of the commissioner’s notification.
Protests in Balochistan continue
In Balochistan, protests and sit-ins against the arrest of BYC leaders and supporters continued in some areas. In Quetta, the BYC activists tried to block Brewery Road, but police dispersed them using tear gas.
The BYC claimed that some workers were arrested during the crackdown, but police said they had not arrested anyone. The BYC workers later gathered in the Qambrani Road area and staged a sit-in while blocking the road, but police used tear gas and vacated the area.
BYC claimed that the police picked a woman activist, but the police denied this claim too.
Meanwhile, a constitutional petition has been filed in the Balochistan High Court against the arrest of Dr Mahrang under MPO, her lawyer Imran Baloch said. He added that the court would take up the petition today.
“All BYC activists, including Dr Mahrang and others people were arrested under 3-MPO,” Advocate Imran Baloch said, adding that the BYC leader was detained in the district jail, Quetta.
Meanwhile, Advocate Nadia Baloch, the sister of Dr Mahrang Baloch, had a meeting with her in the district jail on Monday. She said, “She went to jail to meet Dr Mahrang along with my brothers, but the jail authorities refused to give permission, but after two hours of protest, they allowed me to meet the BYC chief organiser.”
In Panjgur, a shutter-down strike continued on the third day.
In Turbat also a protest rally was organised by the BYC which marched on various roads in the town before its culmination.
Published in Dawn, March 25th, 2025