14 injured as Baloch protest march comes under fire
Jul 28, 2024
Quetta (Balochistan) [Pakistan], July 28 : 14 members of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee who were en route to attend a rally in Gwadar on Saturday were injured after they came under fire at Mastung, Pakistan-based daily, Dawn reported.
A blame game ensued after the injured accused the security forces of opening fire at them. Kalat Deputy Commissioner Shayak Baloch said in a press note that the BYC convoy attacked a Levies checkpoint near Matsung, Dawn reported.
Leader of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee, Bebarg Baloch said that "a law enforcement agency officer" opened fire on the convoy while they were on the way to Quetta-Karachi highway, Dawn reported.
Dawn reported that a hospital spokesperson said that five of them were critically injured.
The leader said that when the convoy was stopped at Thana Sona Khan area, he was also a part of it. He said that they were not allowed to travel to Mastung and accused the security forces of using baton-charge and teargas shelling.
In a post on X, the Baloch Yakjehti Committee said that the state army and police attacked the peaceful convoys going to Baloch Raji Machi and fired directly at the peaceful people.
https://x.com/BalochYakjehtiC/status/1817259232292679797
Mahrang Baloch, another leader of the BYC, said that the security personnel arrested "over 200 people bound for Gwadar".
Balochistan government spokesperson, Shahid Rind said that the BYC's claims of firing was false news.
"No such orders have been given by Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti or the provincial government. Our doors are still open for negotiations, as the Chief Minister said in the policy statement in the Assembly, peaceful protest is the right of the people, the right of the administration to choose the place under the law. BYC only wants to recognize its right and is not ready to recognize the right of the administration."
https://x.com/ShahidRind/status/1817115163138343076
Rind said that Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti had already given a policy statement on the Baloch issue and said that the government is ready to hold negotiations in the Balochistan Assembly, Dawn reported.
The government imposed Section 144 of the Constitution on Saturday in Quetta, banning all types of gatherings, processions and rallies, sealing all roads leading to the "Red Zone", Dawn reported.
A BYC member said they were instructed to hold their public meeting somewhere else instead of Gwadar.
