ISLAMABAD: President Dr. Arif Alvi and caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar expressed concern over the mistreatment of Baloch protesters by Islamabad police, as stated by the President’s House.
In a phone call, both leaders emphasized that the police should have handled the situation with more restraint and not resorted to harsh measures against the protesters.
The Baloch protesters arrived in Islamabad on December 20 after a prolonged march from Turbat, Balochistan. They were halted at the city’s outskirts and directed to a public park, while reports indicated the arrest of over 200 individuals.
Earlier, government officials, in a press conference, had claimed the release of the Baloch protesters detained on Wednesday night.
Following the conference, there were incidents reported where the Islamabad Capital City police attempted to transport the protesters back to Quetta using a privately hired bus, leading to a confrontation between them and the police.
The Islamabad High Court addressed a petition for the release of the detained protesters earlier today, filed by the march organizers Simi Baloch and Abdul Salam, represented by lawyers Imaan Mazari and Attaullah Kundi.
During the hearing, the court expressed displeasure at junior police officers appearing and instructed Islamabad Inspector General of Police Akbar Nisar to appear within thirty minutes.
Upon his appearance, Nisar informed the court that 216 individuals had been arrested, with 34 in judicial custody and one under physical remand. He mentioned the release of 19 women but did not disclose their whereabouts.
Chief Justice Farooq stated that the protesters were free to conduct peaceful demonstrations and directed the police to hand over the detained protesters to the march organizers.
