The Baloch protesters in Islamabad are accusing unknown individuals of harassing them despite the presence of the capital city police. The Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) alleged that masked individuals stole their sound system and fled in a white Toyota Vigo in the early hours of Tuesday morning. They also questioned the lack of police response and accused the police of facilitating the individuals. Other figureheads associated with the movement made similar allegations.
Lawyer and human rights activist Jibran Nasir condemned the alleged incident, calling it a moment of shame and sadness. PML-N Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed also expressed concern for the families of missing loved ones.
The Baloch protest march, which began on December 6, reached the federal capital and was met with brutal force by the Islamabad police. Over 200 protesters were taken into custody before being released following a three-day ultimatum given by the BYC. However, the committee claims that over 100 protesters are still in police custody or “missing”. The caretaker federal government’s claim of releasing 290 Baloch demonstrators was contested by the protest organisers, who said that about 130 protesters were released on Sunday night and not a single one was released on Monday as claimed by the government.