Students protesting against Pakistan Medical Commission were baton-charged by Police in Balochistan’s capital city Quetta, on Thursday.
The police prevented the students from entering the provincial capital’s red zone and used violence against the protesters, who were demanding for their rights. The students then decided to protest in front of the Commissioner’s office in Quetta.
Medical students were taking their fellow students on stretchers, who are on hunger strike till death against PMC, to the red zone in Quetta, when police stopped and assaulted them.
The protesters chanted slogans against the police and the administration, and staged a sit-in protest in front of the commissioner’s office. The city’s administration deployed more police contingents in the area, further aggravating the situation.
The medical students are protesting against Pakistan Medical Commisssion, which has refused registration of students from Balochistan’s three medical colleges including Jhalawan, Makran and Loralai.
The PMC has stated that the registrations will only be done after a special test is passed. Students have maintained that the test is a discriminatory measure as none of the colleges in Pakistan are required to take this test.
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Earlier this week in a meeting of PMC, the issue was raised and administration claimed the proceeds of the meeting were encouraging. However, the medical students have announced that they will continue to protest until their demands are fully met by PMC.