QUETTA: More than 100 people, including students and employees of Bolan Medical College and office-bearers of the All Pakistan Clerks Association (APCA), were arrested on Wednesday when they tried to stage a sit-in in front of the Balochistan Assembly.

The protesters, led by APCA Balochistan chapter president Dad Mohammad and other leaders, after marching on Zarghoon Road reached GPO Chowk, but police, Frontier Corps and Balochistan Constabulary personnel stopped them.

Then the protesters proceeded to the Quetta Metropolitan Corporation, but the gates of its building were closed by police.

However, they managed to reach in front of the Balochistan Assembly, which was in session. They chanted slogans against the government.

Police personnel, who were deployed in and around the assembly building, restored to baton charge and arrested male and female students and teachers and other employees of the Balochistan Medical College who were demanding restoration of the status of the college.

The arrested protesters have been taken to Bijli Road police station. It is not known that under which law they have been detained.

Later speaking at a press conference, the leaders of the protesters claimed that police had badly beaten up even girl students and arrested them.

APCA Balochistan senior vice president Younis Kakar, PMA Quetta president Dr Rahim Bugti and representative of female students Sabiha Baloch condemned the arrests of protesters and announced that a pen down strike will be observed across Balochistan on Feb 13 and 14.

They said protest rallies would be taken out in all district headquarters on Feb 17.

Mr Kakar said: “We believe in resolving the issue through peaceful negotiations, but the government is not ready to solve our problems.” Dr Bugti said they wanted to stage a peaceful protest, but police arrested the protesters without any justification. He demanded immediate release of all the arrested people.

Published in Dawn, February 13th, 2020