The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Friday intervened in the arrest of Baloch protesters, directing the Inspector General (IG) Islamabad to release Baloch women and children while allowing the protesters to express their grievances peacefully.
Chief Justice Aamir Farooq presided over the hearing of a petition challenging the arrests, expressing dissatisfaction with the police inspector's initial court appearance.
IG Islamabad appears in court
Responding to the Chief Justice's order, IG Islamabad, Dr Akbar Nasir Khan, promptly appeared in court, where advocates Attaullah Kundi, Iman Mazari, and Zainab Janjua represented the petitioner.
During the hearing, Chief Justice Amir Farooq questioned the presence of women and children in custody, emphasising their right to peaceful protest.
Upon which, the IG stated that a bus had been arranged for those who wanted to leave, prompting the Chief Justice to direct the IG to hand over the detained individuals to administrators for a peaceful resolution.
IG Islamabad informed the court that 216 people were detained, with 34 in judicial custody and one on physical remand. The Chief Justice instructed the IG to provide a written report detailing the arrests, the number of women detained, and the actions taken by the police.
Hamid Mir alleges police misconduct
Senior journalist Hamid Mir, present in court, alleged police misconduct, stating that women were being dragged and mistreated. Chief Justice Amir Farooq condemned such actions, questioning the state of law enforcement and expressing concern over rising street crimes.
The petitioner's lawyer, Attaullah Kundi, informed the court that the police claimed to have received instructions from the Prime Minister to send the protesters back to Balochistan. Kundi asserted that the police forcibly loaded women and students onto buses, causing the drivers to refuse cooperation.
IG apologises for misbehavior; Chief Justice criticises handling of protest
IG Islamabad issued an apology to Hamid Mir, acknowledging the inappropriateness of the behavior towards the senior journalist.
Chief Justice Amir Farooq criticised the handling of the protest, emphasizing the need for a civilized approach in dealing with such situations.
