ISLAMABAD: Baloch protesters, who have been camping outside Islamabad’s National Press Club (NPC) since December, have announced that they will end their sit-in on Tuesday, citing pressure and alleged harassment.
The decision followed a request by the National Press Club to the Islamabad police to remove a protest camp in Baloch, a move that was later withdrawn amid widespread criticism, including from journalists.
Organized by the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), the sit-in was aimed at addressing enforced disappearances and extrajudicial executions.
Despite the bad weather, the camp set up on December 22 lasted.
The organizers accused the police of harassing and profiling their supporters, filing a First Information Complaint against them.
Earlier, in a letter to the Islamabad police, the NPC had sought a plan to relocate the protesters, citing obstacles to press conferences, seminars and activities of the local business community.
Dr. Mahrang Baloch, the leader of the protest, expressed his disappointment and emphasized the duty of the journalistic and media community to support those whose voices are being ignored.
At a late-night press conference, she revealed the pressure to clear the camp, citing harassment, threats and the spreading of false information by the police.
During the subsequent press conference, Mahrang called the NPC letter a “stain” on journalism and vowed to remember the hostility received. The protesters planned to return to Balochistan the next day.
Mahrang claimed that they were not against the state, but that the state was against them, and highlighted attempts by Baloch protesters to negotiate with the authorities over the missing persons issue.
Despite ongoing election campaigns, she criticized political parties for their silence on the issue.
Earlier, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan expressed solidarity with the Baloch camp and condemned the harassment and efforts to eliminate it. The commission emphasized the legitimacy of the protesters’ demands and urged their recognition without undue force or defamation.
