IHC bars authorities from removing Baloch protesters by force

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has ordered local authorities and police to refrain from creating any hindrance or using force to remove the Baloch marchers staging a sit-in outside the National Press Club since December 20.

Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani heard a petition filed by a Baloch activist Sammi Deen Baloch, who is also among the protesting families in Islamabad, against harassment and attempts to remove marchers by force.

Taking notice of complaints, the high court ordered Islamabad's deputy commissioner (DC) and senior superintendent police (SSP) Operations to ensure in-person in the next hearing.

Sammi’s lawyer Ataullah Kundi Advocate apprised the court that the sit-in of the Baloch families was peacefully continued outside Islamabad’s press club since December 20. He added that the Capital authorities had made multiple attempts to forcedly remove the marchers from the venue.

He continued that they attempted to vacate the sit-in venue by forcing women to sit in buses, adding Islamabad policemen were continuously harassing them by seizing speakers and sometimes by creating tense situations of relaunching crackdowns.

The police had arrested several women and children after lodging cases before the court ordered their release, he added.

The judge questioned whether the protestors were advancing to somewhere other than their venue. The lawyer replied that Baloch marchers were not advancing anywhere.

The judge remarked that Shahra-e-Dastoor, in other words, Constitution Avenue has a history of hosting big demonstrations and sit-ins.

Some people had used the same spot to stage months-long sit-ins on Shahrah-e-Dastoor and hurled abuses at the courts, he continued.

While reprimanding the federal capital’s authorities, Justice Kayani observed that Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad (MCI) was responsible for handling the situation but the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) apparently had no interest in holding local government (LG) polls despite court orders.

He added an administration was now running Islamabad’s municipal authority and no one had an interest to accept the constitutional rights of the citizens.

Later, the IHC judge issued orders, barring authorities from harassing and removing the Baloch marchers by force besides ordering DC Islamabad and SSP Operations to ensure their personal appearance in the next hearing.

The hearing was adjourned till January 5.

Police crackdown

Last month, the long march participants led by Baloch women were detained by authorities during a demonstration in Islamabad against the enforced disappearances of Baloch missing persons.

The march began from Turbat on December 6 and reached Islamabad’s press club on December 20 when the police intercepted them.

An advance party of Baloch Yakjehti Council (BYC) reached Islamabad through the Motorway, but the police intercepted it at Chungi No. 26 and barricaded all the main and artery roads, including Kashmir Avenue, leading to the Red Zone.

When they arrived in the capital, cops launched a crackdown against the protesters and dismantled their camps set up outside the National Press Club.

Most of the protesters were arrested by the police, a move that sparked anguish across the country.

On December 21, IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq warned the capital city's top cop against any hindrance in the protest staged by the Baloch marchers, saying that they have the constitutional right to demonstration.

Following the court directives, all protestors were released in phases after several rounds of talks with the caretaker government’s negotiation team