Baloch students who had been protesting in the federal capital Islamabad for the past 26 days announced that they will wrap up their protest camp in front of the Islamabad National Press Club and carry out the protest in the respective universities.
In a media statement, the Baloch Students Council Islamabad, a student body comprising of the Baloch students studying in different universities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi, said that instead of resolving our problems, the authorities aggravating them. The students said that since the start of the protest, the authorities have employed various tactics to suppress our protest and send us back: the police has violently cracked down on our protest, filed false FIRs against our participants and interrogated other Baloch students.
The BSC further said that for the past several days, the authorities have used various tactics to silence us. Officials dressed in civilian clothes have visited the camp and interrogated the participants. Furthermore, officials have also raided the dorm rooms of Baloch students in the hostels of Quaid-e-Azam University and asked them inappropriate questions. A few days ago, a black car parked outside the National Press Club stopped our participants and asked them questions about the armed groups. Students have no connection with such groups and this futile interrogation makes so sense at all, the students said.
The students said that since the “enforced disappearance” of Hafeez Baloch on February 8, we have been continuously protesting on our university campuses for his safe release. Baloch students have been racially profiled and harassed on campuses throughout Pakistan. But instead of paying heed to our demands, the authorities have resorted to using violence and “gangster tactics” against us. BSC said that if any ill befall a Baloch student living in Islamabad and Rawalpindi, the authorities will be responsible.
The students also announced wrapping up their protest camp but maintained that they will carry out protests and demonstrations in their respective universities. The students said that we still stand up for demands – the safe release of Hafeez Baloch and an end to racial profiling and harassment of Baloch students in different universities throughout Pakistan. The students asked social activists, political workers and other student bodies to participate in the campaign and raise their voice for the safe release of Hafeez Baloch.