Arrested protesters of the Baloch long march. Photo courtesy Mahrang Baloch Twitter
Islamabad Police on Wednesday barred participants of a Baloch long march against enforced disappearances and extra-judicial killings from entering the federal capital, before baton charging and arresting them, including women and children.
According to the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), which organized the long march from Quetta to Islamabad, police arrested “all long march participants.” It said some of the protesters were seriously injured by the police response, alleging that raids were underway across Islamabad to locate and apprehend any Baloch residing in the federal capital.
“We don’t know the whereabouts of the protesters, and their cell phones are off. We request human rights organizations and international media to highlight our cause for the immediate release of peaceful Baloch protesters,” they said in a posting on X, formerly Twitter, on Thursday afternoon.
Earlier, as the long march approach Islamabad on Wednesday night, police blocked entry points of the city along with major arteries to prevent it from reaching the National Press Club. The protesters, led by Mahrang Baloch, attempted to broker an agreement with the police to continue the demonstration, but the negotiations broke down after police refused to entertain their demands. Subsequently, the protesters staged a sit-in near Islamabad Chowk, which police eventually raided, resorting to water cannons, tear gas and baton-charges, before arresting all participants and taking them to lock-up.
The march, which commenced in Turbat more than 20 days ago, has been proceeding toward Islamabad, passing through Quetta, Dera Ghazi Khan and Taunsa Sharif. Thousands of locals have joined the protesters during their stops in various cities, calling for an end to alleged state repression.
Earlier, upon entering Punjab, the protesters had faced hurdles from police in D.G. Khan, which had detained several organizers, accusing them of violating Section 144, which bars the gathering of five or more people. Subsequently, the protesters had staged a sit-in, demanding the release of all detainees, and proceeded to Taunsa Sharif after police accepted their demands. However, authorities have refused to dismiss the FIRs lodged against them, with rights body Amnesty International demanding they be withdrawn.
The journey from D.G. Khan to Taunsa saw thousands, including women and children, welcoming the protesters, with the demonstrators addressing a rally in Taunsa to thank them for their support.
The BYC protest was triggered by the killing of four people, including Balaach Mola Bakhsh, in an encounter with the Counter-Terrorism Department, which claimed they were shot dead during an exchange of fire with militants. However, Bakhsh’s family maintains he was initially arrested without charge, before being declared a militant, and then being killed, without any legal justification.
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), in a posting on X, has condemned the state violence against the protesters.
Amnesty International, in a statement, also expressed its concern over the “excessive use of force by law enforcement” against the protesters. “Amnesty has reviewed videos showing water cannons, tear gas and batons being used against the protesters,” it said, adding dozens were detained and several others injured, “including women, minors and elderly persons, violating their rights to liberty, security and protest.”
The rights body has demanded the government Immediately release all protesters and drop all charges against them; conduct an impartial investigation of all extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances; and compensate families of victims of extrajudicial killings and those forcibly disappeared.