Pakistani government says ‘all women and children’ Baloch protesters released following clash

Pakistan police stand guard as Baloch marchers reach Islamabad to protest against the "extra judicial killings" in Balochistan province on December 20, 2023. (Photo courtesy: X/@sairabaluch_)
Short Url
Updated 21 December 2023
Follow

Pakistani government says ‘all women and children’ Baloch protesters released following clash

  • Protesters led by women started march from Turbat against ‘extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances’
  • Caretaker PM formed a three-member committee of ministers to hold talks with Baloch protesters in Islamabad

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s caretaker government said on Thursday that all women and children marchers arrested in Islamabad have been released, a day after a march against alleged “enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings” in Balochistan turned violent when police clashed with protesters in the capital.
Islamabad police said it arrested 215 protesters on Wednesday night for allegedly “pelting stones” at law enforcers in the capital. The over 1,600 km long march is being led by the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) under Dr. Mahrang Baloch, 30, who became an activist when she was still a teenager after what she says were enforced disappearances and custodial deaths of her father and brother.
The march started from Turbat district in the southwestern Balochistan province on December 6, where protests have been ongoing since last month over the alleged extrajudicial killing of a 24-year-old ethnic Baloch man. The killing has renewed debate over extrajudicial detentions and deaths in Balochistan where such incidents are not uncommon, though state agencies deny complicity. The province has been the scene of a low-level separatist insurgency for decades.
Following the clash, Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar constituted a three-member committee comprising ministers Fawad Hassan Fawad, Jamal Shah and Murtaza Solangi to hold talks with protesters’ families.
“It is decided that all women and children, without any exceptions, are released,” Fawad, federal minister for privatization, told reporters during a news conference after holding talks with protesters. He was flanked by the other two members of the committee.
Fawad said the government had “credible evidence” that if the protesters staged a sit-in protest on a main road, certain nefarious elements would have misused that protest to their advantage.
“Some masked men pelted stones on police that led to a complicated situation,” he said, adding that they were not part of the protesters that had arrived from Balochistan.
The minister said 90 percent of the protesters who were arrested have been released. However, he said some of them were in police custody as they were still being identified and investigated.
Fawad said the negotiating committee had noted the protesters’ grievances and would bring them to the prime minister’s attention.
Rights activists Sammi Deen Baloch and Abdul Salam moved the Islamabad High Court earlier in the day, seeking the immediate release of the protesters. Their petition mentioned the names of 86 persons arrested by police.
Chief Justice Islamabad High Court Justice Aamer Farooq heard the petition, summoning Islamabad’s top cop Akbar Nasir Khan to the hearing.
Khan told the court that police have released at least 70 Baloch protesters, among them women and children. He said police arrested around 215 protesters, alleging they had pelted stones at law enforcers.
“The protesters blocked the road for six hours, they were not allowed to move to D-Chowk [area] due to security reasons,” Khan said.
He also informed the court that the majority of the protesters who were arrested were sent to jail on judicial remand, while some have been handed over to police on physical remand.
Khan, however, did not give the exact number of protesters that were sent to jail and handed over to police.
The court adjourned the hearing till tomorrow, Friday, after seeking details of all those released, sent to jail on judicial remand, and handed over to police on physical remand.
Meanwhile, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) and Amnesty International expressed concerns over the “excessive use of force” by law enforcers against the marchers.
“HRCP strongly condemns the violent police crackdown on Baloch protesters in Islamabad, with women, children and the elderly subjected to unwarranted force in the form of water cannons and use of batons,” it said in a statement.
“This treatment of Baloch citizens exercising their constitutional right to peaceful assembly is inexcusable,” the HRCP said. “All those detained must be released unconditionally.”
Amnesty International said dozens were detained while several others were injured, including women, minors and elderly persons, in clashes.
The rights organization urged the government to “immediately release all protesters, and drop any charges brought against them for solely exercising their right to freedom of expression and right to protest.”
Amnesty International also called on the government to conduct an impartial investigation into extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances, particularly in Balochistan, in line with international standards.
Last month, the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) Balochistan issued a statement, seen by Arab News, saying Balach Baloch, the man killed in Turbat, had confessed in custody to being a militant and carrying out a number of attacks. He was arrested on Nov. 20, as per the statement, in possession of five kilograms of explosive materials.
Balach was later killed in a raid on a militant hideout in the city of Turbat, the CTD said. The killing unleashed sit-ins and strikes across the province. Balach’s family has refuted CTD claims, saying he was not involved in any unlawful activities but was picked up by the CTD on Oct. 29 and later killed in a “fake encounter.”
Political leaders, human rights activists and families of victims have for decades spoken against killings in Balochistan by security agencies in staged encounters, a practice where officials claim the victim was killed in a gunfight though they were summarily executed. Authorities deny involvement in such incidents.


US vows to be ‘steadfast partner’ after deadly attack in Pakistan’s Kurram district

Updated 6 sec ago
Follow

US vows to be ‘steadfast partner’ after deadly attack in Pakistan’s Kurram district

  • American diplomatic mission says Pakistanis deserve to live free from harm, danger and threat
  • It offers condolences to victims’ families after 41 people were killed by unknown gunmen this week

KARACHI: The United States on Friday condemned a deadly attack in Pakistan’s Kurram district that killed 41 people this week, reaffirming its commitment to stand with Pakistan in ensuring the safety of its citizens against such militant attacks.
Unidentified gunmen targeted vehicles carrying Shiite community members in the Kurram district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on Thursday, in one of the deadliest sectarian attacks in recent years. The assault, which also left many critically injured, occurred in a region already plagued by deadly clashes in recent months.
“The United States will remain a steadfast partner as Pakistan works to ensure the safety and security of all its citizens,” Jonathan Lalley, the spokesperson of the US diplomatic mission in Pakistan, said in a statement. “We stand in solidarity with Pakistan and the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in this difficult time.”
Lalley expressed condolences to the victims’ families and called for a full recovery for the injured.
“The Pakistani people deserve to live free from harm, danger, and threat, and to feel protected and secure in their daily lives,” he added.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, which followed the reopening of a key highway in the region after it was closed for weeks due to sectarian violence.
Kurram, a volatile district near the Afghan border, has been a flashpoint for sectarian clashes between Sunni and Shiite communities, adding to the challenges of maintaining security in the area.
The US-Pakistan forged a counterterrorism partnership in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001, attacks, to address regional security challenges. Over the years, however, the relationship faced friction, while the US-led international forces were in Afghanistan.
Despite the tensions, both countries reaffirmed their commitment to security cooperation and counterterrorism efforts, especially in the wake of the US military withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.
The commitment to security partnership reflects a shared goal of combating extremism and ensuring regional stability.
 


Pakistan, Malaysia agree to enhance military cooperation with focus on air force training

Updated 45 min 16 sec ago
Follow

Pakistan, Malaysia agree to enhance military cooperation with focus on air force training

  • Malaysian air chief praises PAF’s advancements in indigenization on his first Pakistan visit
  • His Pakistani counterpart reaffirms commitment to training Malaysian Air Force personnel

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Malaysia have agreed to deepen bilateral military cooperation, with a particular emphasis on joint training and air power collaboration, Pakistan’s military said on Friday.
The understanding was reached during a meeting between Pakistan Air Force (PAF) Chief Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu and Royal Malaysian Air Force Chief General Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Mohd Asghar Khan bin Goriman Khan at Air Headquarters in Islamabad.
“The [Pakistan] Air Chief reaffirmed his commitment to enhancing military partnership between the two Air Forces through joint training initiatives, particularly within the realm of air power,” the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement. “These initiatives will encompass provisioning of both basic and tactical level training for personnel of the Malaysian Air Force.”
The Malaysian air chief, making his first visit to Pakistan, praised the PAF’s advancements in indigenization and technological innovation. He also expressed interest in bolstering ties through enhanced collaboration in training, maintenance and operational excellence.
The meeting included discussions on defense cooperation, joint exercises and technology sharing, ISPR said, highlighting the robust defense relationship between the two nations.
During his visit, the Malaysian official toured the National Aerospace Science & Technology Park Silicon and the PAF Cyber Command, where he was briefed on Pakistan’s advanced operational capabilities.
He also lauded the innovative projects displayed at the ongoing International Defense Exhibition IDEAS-2024 in Karachi.
Earlier, the Malaysian air chief was presented with a guard of honor upon his arrival, ISPR added.


Pakistan government doubles down on preventing Imran Khan’s Nov. 24 protest

Updated 22 November 2024
Follow

Pakistan government doubles down on preventing Imran Khan’s Nov. 24 protest

  • Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi warns no talks if Khan’s PTI proceeds with the protest
  • Ex-premier’s party plans a ‘long march’ to Islamabad, seeking his release from prison

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Friday vowed to implement the Islamabad High Court’s (IHC) order, refusing to allow former prime minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party to stage the Nov. 24 protest in the federal capital demanding his release.
The PTI has announced a “long march” to Islamabad, primarily to pressurize the government to end Khan’s imprisoned that has lasted for over a year on what his party contends are politically motivated charges. The protest also aims to raise PTI’s voice against alleged rigging in the February 8 general elections while calling for measures to ensure judicial independence, which the party says has been undermined by the 26th constitutional amendment.
Only a day earlier, the IHC directed the government to form a committee to engage in talks with the PTI, emphasizing the need to avoid disruptions during the three-day visit of Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko to discuss bilateral economic cooperation. The court expressed hope that the PTI would allow “meaningful communication” with the administration while acknowledging that the maintenance of law and order would be the government’s priority if there was no breakthrough between the two sides.
Addressing the media in Islamabad alongside the capital city’s chief commissioner and police chief, the interior minister highlighted that no rally, march or protest would be allowed in the federal capital owing to the Belarusian president’s visit to the country, as per the IHC order.
“No one will be allowed to stage a rally or protest in Islamabad in compliance with the high court order,” Naqvi said. “After the IHC order, we will implement it 100 percent at any cost. We are bound by the law to implement it.”
Regarding the IHC directions to hold talks with the PTI party leadership, the minister said he would speak to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in the evening to constitute a committee “but definitely if they stage a protest, this [negotiation] will get difficult.”
Islamabad’s district magistrate has already imposed a two-month ban on the gathering of more than five people in the capital using Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), which allows the government to prohibit various forms of political assembly, gatherings, sit-ins, rallies, demonstrations and other activities for a specified period.
In response to a question about whether the government was in touch with Adiala Jail, where ex-premier Khan is currently incarcerated, Naqvi said he has no contact with anyone there.
The interior minister also highlighted that the capital city’s administration did not receive any application from the PTI to stage a protest.
He made it clear that people violating the court orders would be responsible if there was any loss of life during the Nov. 24 protest.
Naqvi also said that he agreed with the residents of Islamabad that shops, roads, businesses and mobile signals should not be shut down but noted there was no other way of dealing with such protests.
“If they want to come and protest [in Islamabad], I’ll be the one who will say that no talks should take place,” he concluded. “If they want to hold talks, they should do it in a proper manner. This is no way that on one side they protest and on the other call for talks.”
Earlier this week, Pakistan’s interior ministry had authorized the deployment of paramilitary Punjab Rangers and Frontier Corps troops in Islamabad to maintain law and order.
Pakistan’s parliament also passed a law earlier this year to regulate public gatherings in Islamabad, specifying timings for rallies and designating specific areas. The law prescribes three-year jail terms for participants in illegal assemblies and 10-year imprisonment for repeat offenders.
 


Army chief vows action after deadly week of militant attacks in Pakistan

Updated 22 November 2024
Follow

Army chief vows action after deadly week of militant attacks in Pakistan

  • Twelve soldiers were killed on Tuesday as militants attacked a checkpost in the northwestern Bannu district
  • Gunmen opened fire on vehicles carrying minority Shiite community members in KP province on Thursday, killing 41

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Army Chief General Asim Munir vowed action against militants on Friday, following a week of deadly attacks in which dozens of civilians and security officials have been killed in the country’s northwest. 
In the latest attack, gunmen opened fire on vehicles carrying members of the minority Shiite community in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on Thursday, killing at least 41 people in one of the region’s deadliest such attacks in recent years. The assault took place in Kurram, a district where sectarian clashes have killed dozens of people in recent months. No group has claimed responsibility.
On Tuesday, ten Pakistan army soldiers and two from the paramilitary Frontier Constabulary were killed on Tuesday as militants attacked a checkpost in the northwestern Bannu district.
Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province in the northwest and the remote southwestern province of Balochistan have both seen an increase in strikes by militants this year.
“He [Munir] reiterated the army’s firm resolve to dismantle hostile terrorist networks and eradicate the illegal spectrum undermining national security,” the army’s media wing said in a statement, quoting Munir as saying after he attended a security meeting in Peshawar, the provincial capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. 
“He assured that through synchronized and robust operations, Pakistan Army in collaboration with Law Enforcement Agencies will relentlessly hunt down the enemies of peace to ensure lasting stability and security.”
In a separate statement, the army said it had carried out three operations in Balochistan on Nov. 20-22, in which four militants had been killed. 
On Tuesday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif chaired a meeting of civil and military leaders who gave the go-ahead for a "comprehensive operation" against separatist insurgents in Balochistan.


Pushed by Beijing, Pakistan plans military operation against Baloch separatists — analysts

Updated 22 November 2024
Follow

Pushed by Beijing, Pakistan plans military operation against Baloch separatists — analysts

  • Government has announced operation but not shared details of scale, scope, whether it will be joint effort with China
  • Analysts say military solutions will not work in Balochistan, plagued by low-level separatist insurgency since decades

QUETTA: Pakistan is working out the operational details, scope and scale of a planned military operation in the insurgency-plagued southwestern Balochistan province, officials said this week, with analysts saying pressure from Beijing had convinced Islamabad it was time to take on separatist militants in a region that is home to key Chinese Belt and Road projects.
Following a string of deadly attacks that have targeted its citizens in recent months, China has pushed to join security efforts to protect them and unveiled a plan on Tuesday for joint counter-terrorism exercises in Pakistan. On the same day, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif chaired a meeting of civil and military leaders who gave the go-ahead for a “comprehensive operation” against separatist insurgents in Balochistan.
The statement from the prime minister’s office did not give any details of the operation, including whether it was limited to ground operations or could involve the air force, when it would be launched and in which parts of the vast, remote Balochistan province. It also did not mention if the plan would be a joint effort with Beijing and which Pakistani security agencies would take part.
“Nothing has been finalized yet because the meeting was held on Tuesday and further progress regarding the military operation will take time,” Wasim Akram, an information officer at the Ministry of Interior, told Arab News, adding that the scale of the operation and which forces would participate were details that were still being worked out. 
Balochistan Government Spokesperson Shahid Rind and Special Secretary Home Department Abdul Nasir Dotani also did not share any specific details on the operation’s scope and scale.
“It was decided in the federal apex committee and it is clear it will be a comprehensive military operation,” Rind told Arab News. 
Balochistan Home Secretary Shahab Ali Shah, Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfaraz Bugti, Defense Minister Khawaja Asif and Information Minister Attaullah Tarar could not be reached for comment despite several attempts. 
“PRESSURE FROM CHINA”
Pakistan’s military already has a huge presence in Balochistan, which borders Afghanistan and Iran and is home to a decades-long separatist insurgency by militants fighting for a separate homeland to win a larger share of benefits from the resource-rich province. The government and military deny they are exploiting the province’s mineral wealth or ignoring its economic development. 
The military has long run intelligence-based operations against insurgent groups, the most prominent being the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), which has escalated attacks in recent months on the military and nationals from longtime ally China.
The region is home to the Gwadar Port, built by China as part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a $65 billion investment in President Xi Jinping’s Belt and Road infrastructure initiative to expand China’s global reach.
In addition to the recent attacks, the BLA also claimed a suicide bombing last month outside the international airport in the southern port city of Karachi that killed two Chinese engineers.
“There shouldn’t be any ambiguity that Pakistan is facing internal and external pressure, mainly from China, to launch this new offensive against Baloch separatist militants,” Dr. Ayesha Siddiqa, a senior fellow at King’s College in London and a military affairs expert, told Arab News.
“There is increasing pressure from the Chinese government and they are not willing to financially assist Pakistan anymore until the security situation gets better … Pakistan has to demonstrate to the Chinese that we are doing something in Balochistan against Baloch militant groups.”
Shahzad Zulfiqar, a senior journalist who has been covering militancy in Balochistan for over two decades, concurred with Dr. Siddiqa, also pointing to reports that China was pushing Pakistan to allow its own security staff to protect thousands of Chinese citizens working in the South Asian nation.
“Though Pakistan has been taking action against militant groups involved in attacking Chinese nationals, now there is pressure from China which is asking Pakistan to work on a joint security mechanism because Chinese citizens are being targeted and are under threat,” he said. 
The foreign office in Islamabad this month denied international media reports Beijing wanted its own security forces on the ground in Pakistan. 
Pakistan had raised a security force to protect Chinese nationals and projects, particularly those operating under the CPEC umbrella, and “this security apparatus continues to provide security to Chinese CPEC projects inside Pakistan,” Foreign Office Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch told reporters on Nov. 14:
“Pakistan and China have a robust dialogue and cooperation on a range of issues including counterterrorism and security of Chinese nationals in Pakistan … We will continue to work with our Chinese brothers for the safety and security of Chinese nationals, projects and institutions in Pakistan.”
“NO MILITARY SOLUTIONS”
Ethnic Baloch separatists have launched several insurgencies in Balochistan since the birth of Pakistan in 1947, including from 1948-50, 1958–60, 1962–63 and 1973–1977. An ongoing low-level insurgency began in 2003. The army has launched several military campaigns in response, including as early as 1948 in the state of Kalat and a five-year-long operation in the 70s under Prime Minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto. 
“Many political governments have come and gone in Balochistan but the operation has continued,” Sardar Akhter Jan Mengal, head of the Balochistan National Party (BNP) and a prominent Baloch nationalist leader in the province, told Arab News.
“No one can resolve Balochistan’s political issue with military operations.”
Indeed, political leaders and independent analysts have for years urged the government to take a holistic approach to resolving Balochistan’s problems, which they say stems from decades of economic deprivation and political disenfranchisement. The province, which comprises 44 percent of Pakistan’s total land mass, is its most backward by almost all economic and social indicators.
Rich in land and mineral wealth, most parts of the region often lack even the rudiments of modern life. For instance, though home to Reko Diq, one of the world’s largest undeveloped copper and gold deposits, and the site of major Chinese investment projects, the province lacks employment opportunities and basic facilities like Internet, health and education.
Balochistan is also the least represented in Pakistan’s parliament, where legislative seats are allocated to provinces according to their population. Balochistan has a population of only 14.89 million people in a country of over 240 million and is hence allocated only 16 National Assembly seats. Punjab, with a much smaller land area but a population of 127.68 million, gets 141 seats.
Zulfiqar, the journalist, said military operations needed to be combined with social and economic development as well as “good governance” efforts to be successful. 
“This will be the fifth military operation in Balochistan since 1947,” he said. “Military operations are not the only solution to bring peace and stability in Balochistan, there should be more options involved with the military operation, including dialogue and good governance.”
In fact, many fear another military operation in the province will further alienate its citizens, rights activists and political leaders, who have long accused security agencies of arbitrary arrests, extrajudicial killings and other types of rights abuses in the name of cracking down on separatists. The state denies it is involved in such activities. 
“This military operation will put more fuel in the fire of hate in Balochistan rather than extinguish it,” BNP’s Mengal said. 
Nawab Aslam Raisani, a provincial lawmaker and a senior political and tribal leader in the province, also warned against a military operation. 
“We haven’t seen any result of the use of military force,” he said. “This new decision of the apex committee to launch a military operation in Balochistan will push the federation toward more destruction.”