QUETTA, Oct 25: The police arrested here on Friday at least 24 activists of the Ponam Students Alliance who were trying to stage a demonstration against the alleged rigging in some constituencies of Balochistan in the Oct 10 general elections.

However, the alliance claimed that the police had rounded up over 100 students in front of the Science College.

The police sources said a large number of the alliance activists gathered in front of the Science College and started chanting slogans against the government. The police officials present on the occasion told them that the local administration had not granted permission to them for taking out a protest procession and demonstration in front of the Quetta Press Club (QPC).

However, the student leaders refused to accept the orders of the local administration and insisted to take out a protest process in the city. Whereupon the police blocked their way and did not allow them to move towards the QPC.

The police used baton-charge for dispersing the protesting students and arrested many of them under section 144 and took them to different police stations. Police sources said some of the students were later released.

In the meanwhile, the Ponam Students Alliance strongly denounced the police action against agitating students.

Nadir Qudoos Baloch, Chairman of the Baloch Students Organisation (BSO) of his own group, speaking at a press conference on behalf of the alliance here on Friday, said staging a protest demonstration was a democratic right of the students.

Other leaders of the alliance, Amanullah Baloch, Hafizullah and Shamsullah Jogezai, were also present on the occasion.

Baloch said the district Nazim had earlier granted permission to them for staging a protest demonstration in front of the QPC. However, he said, on Friday a police officer informed them that their permission had been cancelled.

He said the cancellation of permission was an undemocratic act of the district Nazim. The alliance wanted to stage peaceful demonstration just to register their protest against the rigging in the election in various constituencies, he added.

Baloch demanded of the government that all students arrested by the police be released without any delay and results of NA-262, PB-12, PB-13 and PB-48 announced.

He also demanded the resignation of President Gen Pervez Musharraf and handing over of powers to the elected representatives of the people.

The University Ordinance 2002, he further demanded, be withdrawn, Senate, Syndicate and Academic Council restored and the Board of Governors cancelled.