Balochistan government spokesman Shahid Rind on Saturday said that the leadership of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) was arrested for “attacking” Quetta Civil Hospital and “inciting people to violence”, a day after its members in the provincial capital faced a police crackdown while protesting against alleged enforced disappearances.
On Friday, the police used tear gas and water cannon and fired blank shots to disperse BYC protesters, who had staged a sit-in on the Sariab Road near University of Balochistan, against some arrests, including its leaders.
The Balochistan government and the BYC had reported casualties on their sides as a result of each other’s actions — with the activist group claiming three dead and 13 others suffering injuries and the police saying around 10 of their personnel were hurt.
According to the Bolan Medical College Hospital officials, two bodies were brought there from the Sariab Road area. The bodies were later taken away by the heirs.
Officials at Quetta Civil Hospital Quetta said that one body and nine injured police personnel, including a female constable, were brought to the health facility.
Other sources had earlier claimed that the BYC workers had taken away three bodies with them and staged a protest sit-in at Munir Mengal Road.
Subsequently, BYC chief organiser Dr Mahrang Baloch late last night issued a call for a shutter-down strike across the province, in response to the alleged casualties resulting from the police action.
Quetta and other parts of Balochistan observed a shutter-down strike today in response to the BYC call.
The group also alleged that its leadership and Dr Mahrang were arrested.
Questioned about reports of Dr Mahrang’s arrest and what charges she was detained for during an interview on Geo News programme ‘Naya Pakistan’ today, Rind did not mention her by name but said: “BYC leadership has been arrested for attacking the Civil Hospital, inciting people to violence and other charges.”
He said the law would come into action if any common citizen faced troubles due to the BYC’s protest.
When asked about the situation in the province and BYC allegations about deaths caused by the government, Rind downplayed them as mere “claims”.
He maintained that the BYC was protesting on Friday for the bodies of the culprits of last week’s Jaffar Express train attack while the police were attempting to disperse them through water cannons and tear gas shelling.
“Around evening they claimed that three people of theirs were killed in police firing,” he added.
