The detained Baloch protestors, who were taken into custody during a demonstration against “enforced disappearances” in the federal capital, are being released after the approval of their bail, said Islamabad police on Sunday.
The development came after the Baloch protesters gave a three-day ultimatum to the Islamabad authorities, seeking the release of all students and demanding the dismissal of all the cases against the protestors.
On Wednesday night, the Islamabad police used “excessive force” and rounded up all the Baloch protestors, who converged in the capital to stage a protest demonstration against “enforced disappearances”. The long march led by Baloch women had started their journey from Balochistan on December 6.
The police action against the Baloch women and men triggered widespread condemnations from human rights bodies and political parties. Even the federal ministers admitted that the “protestors who reached Islamabad from Balochistan were not involved in the violence”.
Hearing a petition filed by long march organisers against the “illegal” arrests of Baloch protestors, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) ruled: “Let them protest who have come to protest, it’s their constitutional right.”
In a statement issued today on X, formerly Twitter, the Islamabad police said that the protesters had demanded the release of their detained supporters during a meeting with a cabinet committee formed by the prime minister.
“Keeping in view the legal requirements, the bail of the arrested protesters has been approved. The detained protesters are being released,” it said, adding that the relatives of the detainees should contact them for information and assistance so that legal assistance can be provided.
Earlier, the Islamabad police said that the court had issued the orders to release 163 protesters after approving their bail.
Meanwhile, the Baloch Yakjahti Committee said that the protest sit-in continues in front of the National Press Club in Islamabad.
