Renowned politicians, human rights organizations and political parties have condemned the arrest of students during a peaceful protest against online classes in Quetta on Wednesday.
The Chairman of Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP) Bilawal Bhutto Zardari condemned the arrest of students in Quetta in a tweet that read: “To protest peacefully is a constitutionally protected right. Strongly condemn arrest of students in Quetta! Shutting out voices and high handedness has become a new normal under this regime. #PPP demands #releaseallstudents”
To protest peacefully is a constitutionally protected right. Strongly condemn arrest of students in Quetta! Shutting out voices and high handedness has become a new normal under this regime. #PPP demands #releaseallstudents
— BilawalBhuttoZardari (@BBhuttoZardari) June 24, 2020
Addressing the arrest of students in Quetta, the south-Asian offshoot of Amnesty International, a non-governmental human rights organization based in the United Kingdom, tweeted that: “Pakistan’s authorities must immediately release all students detained in Quetta who were demanding internet access to continue their studies. Their rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly must be respected and protected.”
The Human Rights Council of Balochistan (HRCB) condemned the incident and said that the authorities must ensure the immediate release of the arrested students. It further said that the students are protesting against the inaccessibility of the internet for a month now; the authorities must consider their requests and resolve their predicaments.
The National Party took to the twitter to condemn the arrest of students in Quetta and demand their immediate release. It said that the provincial government proved its “incapability” through this action. “Instead of resolving the problems of the youths, arresting them is shameful”, the tweet concluded.
Mir Hasil Khan Bizenjo, member of the Pakistani Senate and the former president of the National Party, addressed the incident in a tweet that read: “Extremely shameful act by law enforcements to arrest peaceful students in #Quetta. Their demand is very simple, how can they have online classes when they don’t have internet? Do you arrest them just for raising this question? #ReleaseStudentsofBalochistan.”
Senator Ayesha Raza Farooq, member of Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) and a member of the Pakistani Senate, addressed the incident and drew CM Balochistan’s attention to the incident in a tweet: “Why use brutal force against students protesting for their right to internet access? These students are the country’s assets; treat them with respect, listen to their genuine concerns instead of beating them black and blue. Requesting @jam_kamal to look into this”
Later after the arrests and condemnations of the act, the Chief Minister of Balochistan, Jam Kamal Khan stated in tweet saying; “No students arrest was ordered by the Government…it was a quarrel among police and students in which police acted and arrested. Immediately police was ordered to release the students.”