— Balochistan govt refutes allegations, says protesters engaged in violent behavior
QUETTA: The Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) has accused police of using excessive force against demonstrators in Quetta, claiming that officers opened fire on peaceful protesters, killing three and injuring dozens, including seven in critical condition.
In response, Balochistan government spokesman Shahid Rind denied the allegations, stating that the protesters engaged in stone-pelting and violent behavior, injuring several police officers, including a female constable. The government maintained that law enforcement acted within legal bounds to clear a blocked national highway, while BYC argued that security forces used disproportionate force to suppress a peaceful protest.
In the wake of the unrest, authorities sealed off the Red Zone, citing security concerns and the need to maintain public order. The Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M) and the National Party (NP) condemned the actions of law enforcement, calling for dialogue to address the situation.
The protest is connected to a separate incident on Thursday when relatives of missing persons took several corpses from the Civil Hospital morgue, attempting to identify them. While it remains unclear whether they positively identified the bodies, hospital officials confirmed that protesters linked to BYC forcibly took at least five bodies.
