annashay 
Karachi police on Monday dispersed protesters and arrested six people as the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) held a protest against the recent arrests of its leadership and a crackdown on its Quetta sit-in.
The BYC had announced a protest at the Karachi Press Club (KPC) against the “illegal detention” of its key leaders, including Dr Mahrang Baloch who was arrested on Saturday along with 16 other activists from their protest camp in Quetta, a day after claiming that three protesters had died due to police action.
Subsequently, in a notification dated today, Karachi Commissioner Syed Hassan Naqvi imposed a ban on all types of gatherings across the city under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC).
As BYC supporters tried to reach the KPC, they were intercepted by the police at the Fawara Chowk, where they were met with resistance by the law enforcers.
After an hour-long protest, police began dispersing the demonstrators and took Sammi Deen Baloch and other BYC supporters into custody.
BYC supporter Sadaf Ameer, who alleged her father Ameer Bakhsh had been forcibly disappeared, told Dawn.com: “Before the protest even began, a heavy police contingent came and subjected us to torture.
“They arrested and took away Sammi Deen Baloch and others,” Sadaf added, noting they had come to demand the release of Mahrang, Bebarg and others.
“We came peacefully and we were protesting peacefully, but the state cannot accept us protesting peacefully. This is why the state has been violent with us and has taken Sammi Baloch and others.”
South Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Syed Asad Raza told Dawn.com that the Karachi commissioner had issued a notification regarding a ban on any public assemblies or protests, however, various groups, including the BYC, had planned protests in the Red Zone.
“Police scuttled the gathering and around six protestors, including Sammi Deen Baloch, have been arrested on violation of Section 144 of Criminal Procedure Code and locked up in Women Police Station,” he said.
He said 14 detained protesters, including females, were released by late in the evening, however, the six detained individuals, including Sammi, were formally booked over violation of Section 144.
A large number of civil society activists were seen standing outside the police station at Artillery Maidan where the protesters were detained. DIG Raza said the police had decided to lodge a case against them under Section 188 (disobedience to an order lawfully promulgated by a public servant) of the Pakistan Penal Code.
Later, the Artillery Maidan Police registered a first information report (FIR) against Sammi and five others under Section 188 (disobedience to an order duly promulgated by a public servant) for violating Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code imposed by the Karachi commissioner to ban all rallies in the Red Zone.
According to the contents of the FIR, Assistant Sub-Inspector Mubarak Masih said that he along with other policemen and lady police were performing their duty when around 35-40 men and women arrived at Fawara Chowk and attempted to enter the Red Zone.
The complainant said he and other policemen tried to prevent them but they “forcibly” entered the Red Zone. He added that the police took action and detained Sammi, Abdul Wahab and four others while others fled taking advantage of the rush.
Human Rights Commission of Pakistan’s senior official Qazi Khizar, one of the participants of the protest, told Dawn.com that the BYC and civil society organisations had given a call for a “peaceful” protest against the detention of Dr Mahrang and others, and the crackdown on activists in Balochistan.
He said the civil society organisations, certain political figures and a large number of young people, particularly women, arrived near the KPC but it was blocked from three routes. Thus, they were compelled to gather at Fawara Chowk near Zainab Market. Khizar said when they attempted to move further, contingents of the police led by senior officers prevented them by contending that Section 144 had been imposed.
The HRCP activist said the protesters had “agreed” to disperse when the police suddenly began allegedly manhandling the activists. “The police adopted a brutal way to deal with the protesters,” the HRCP leader alleged, adding that 13 women were taken away but the number of men was not known.
He said it was a “strange” thing to note that in contrast to their “peaceful” protest, there were several people who claimed to represent the Pakistan Ulema Council and other groups were seen chanting slogans and demonstrating against the Baloch activists under “police protection”. They carried banners, inscribing slogans against the BYC but the police were not preventing them from violating Section 144, he said.
The HRCP leader said Mahrang and Sammi were “representative women leaders” of Balochistan who talked about constitutional rights and they needed to be engaged in dialogue to address the volatile situation in the province.
Front Line Defenders, an Irish organisation advocating and working for the protection of human rights, condemned Sammi’s arrest and said it was deeply concerned about the development. “We call for her immediate release and an end to reprisals against Baloch human rights defenders,” it said in a post on X.
In a statement earlier today, the Karachi Traffic Police said: “Both roads from Din Muhammad Wafai Road to MR Kiani Chowrangi towards Fawara Chowk have been closed for traffic.
“Local police have closed the road due to security,” the statement added.
It continued that alternative traffic routes had been devised from MR Kiani Chowrangi towards Court Road, Thana Gali towards Sarwar Shaheed Road and Fawara Chowk towards Zainab Market.
The public was requested to call Traffic Helpline 1915 for alternative routes to avoid any inconvenience.
According to a post on X, the BYC protest in Karachi was scheduled for 4pm and was organised in collaboration with civil society members, while a protest in Quetta was scheduled for noon.
Counter-protests
On the other hand, two separate counter-protests were held in the nearby area, where participants held placards and chanted slogans against the BYC as well as the banned Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA).
However, it was unclear under what arrangements the counter-protests were organised despite the imposition of Section 144.
One such protest was being held outside the KPC, with participants holding placards reading “a link to RAW: BLA and BYC”, referring to India’s intelligence agency Research and Analysis Wing.
More people gathered at a petrol station near the Zainab Market, with one of the placards reading “two sides of the same coin — BLA and BYC”.
Some banners carried by protesters at the Fawara Chowk mentioned the Pakistan Ulema Council as the organiser.
Another demonstration was also held to show solidarity with the armed forces near Zainab Market. Videos of the protest showed protesters chanting slogans against the BYC leadership as well as BLA.
Deputy Inspector General (DIG) South Syed Asad Raza told Dawn.com, “Some people were organising a counter-protest at Fawara Chowk; they were dispersed. Nobody is being allowed to organise public protests or assemblies in the light of notification by Commissioner Karachi.”
Gatherings banned under Section 144
The Karachi commissioner imposed Section 144 across the city “in view of the prevailing law and order situation” today, according to a notification.
The notification came in response to a recommendation made by Karachi South Zone Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Syed Asad Raza to the commissioner on Sunday.
Today’s notification by Karachi Commissioner Syed Hassan Naqvi read that under Section 144, he had imposed a “complete ban on any types of protests, demonstrations, sit-ins, rallies and assembly of more than five persons within the Karachi division with immediate effect for March 24, 2025.”
In his recommendation on Sunday, DIG Raza had said that “in the context of [the] present law and order situation in the city, it is required that [the] ban may be imposed in South Zone on protests, demonstrations, sit-ins and rallies” being held on major roads, which would result in traffic jams and posed “grave security threats”.
It had further said that in view of the prevailing law and order situation, “it is essential that necessary measures be taken to protect the participants, the public and the integrity of the event”.
“It is therefore requested that [a] ban on any type of protest, demonstrations, sit-in rallies and assembly of more than five persons may kindly be imposed within the limits of South Zone under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code from March 24 to 31, 2025.”
Traffic jam on roads
Meanwhile, the closure of major roads to scuttle the protest triggered a massive traffic jam in the city centre in the evening, according to Traffic DIG Pir Mohammed Shah.
He said a traffic situation began at 3:45pm when three roads, namely Aiwan Sadar Road, MD Wafai Road and Sarwar Shaheed Road, were closed for traffic because of some protests at the KPC.
The traffic police chief said they were peak hours and it was the first day of the week, which adversely affected the flow of traffic on II Chundrigar Road and other adjoining areas. He said though the roads were opened at 6:15pm, the situation returned to normalcy at 7pm.
The DIG said he and all senior traffic police personnel had also broken their fast on the streets as they were also stuck up in traffic jams while attempting to clear the roads.
Apart from the protest, DIG Raza cited another reason behind the traffic situation. He said the Sindh governor had arranged children’s entertainment outside the Governor’s House without informing the district police and traffic police. He added that when traffic was choked on Aiwan Sadar Road, it affected the flow of traffic on other roads.
