IHC stops authorities from forcing Baloch protesters to end Islamabad sit-in

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday stopped the authorities of the federal capital from harassing and removing Baloch protesters by force from the National Press Club.

Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani issued directives to authorities in the federal capital while hearing a case pertaining to the alleged harassment and use of force against Baloch families protesting against extra-judicial killings and enforced disappearances.

Additionally, the high court also ordered in-person appearance of Islamabad’s deputy commissioner and senior superintendent police (operations) in the next hearing on January 5.

Justice Kayani was hearing a petition filed by a Baloch activist Sammi Deen Baloch against the alleged harassment of protesting families by police.

At the outset of the hearing, Ataullah Kundi, Advocate, who appeared as Sammi’s lawyer, apprised the court that Baloch families have staged a sit-in outside the National Press Club in Islamabad.

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

Authorities later attempted to vacate the sit-in venue by forcing women to sit in buses, said the lawyer, adding Islamabad policemen were continuously harassing them by seizing speakers and sometimes by creating tense situation by launching crackdowns.

The judge questioned whether the protesters were advancing to some other place. The lawyer replied that Baloch marchers were not advancing anywhere.

The judge remarked that Shahrah-e-Dastoor, the 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 the local government (LG) polls despite court orders.

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

Later, the IHC judge barred 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.