ISLAMABAD: Protesters from Balochistan holding a sit-in in the federal capital on Tuesday called for a countrywide demonstrations against the government and its security institutions for labelling their movement as a propaganda.
The protesters, including women, have reached in Islamabad about two weeks ago demanding recovery of their loved ones they alleged had been picked up by security forces years back.
“On January 3rd, our ultimatum will expire. The State has consistently shown a half-hearted and uncommitted concern regarding our demands from the beginning. Furthermore, despite the seriousness of the Baloch Genocide issue, State officials are attempting to justify it by labeling it a propaganda,” said the Baloch Yakjahti Committee that has organized the protest.
Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar seemed angry during a press conference in Lahore on Monday when asked about police action against the Baloch protesters.
“Advocates of terrorists in Balochistan should go and join them if they are convinced on the veracity of their issue and fight the state along with them, so that we know where they stand and how to deal with them,” he said.
The long march led by Baloch women, which started in Turbat on December 6 after the alleged “extrajudicial killing” of a Baloch youth by the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) officials, had reached the federal capital on December 21. However, the police had blocked entry points of the city along with major arteries to prevent the protesters from reaching the NPC.
Police in Islamabad took over 200 of the protesters, including women, into custody after using tear gas, water cannons and batons on them on Thursday night.
Baloch Yakjehti Committee in a statement issued had condemned the police high-handedness against the protesters in Islamabad and gave the government three days to release the protesters and quash cases against them.
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