QUETTA: Maulana Hi­­dayatur Rehman Baloch, the chief of Haq Do Tehreek (HDT) and general secretary of Jamaat-i-Islami in Balochistan, was detained by the local authorities on Friday in an attempt to prevent him from visiting the border town of Chaman.

Officials said that Mr Rehman’s planned visit to Chaman was intended to show support for the ongoing sit-in protest, organised by various political parties and traders to protest the government’s new Afghan border crossing policy, which requires a passport and valid visa.

Police officials led by a senior officer arrived at Al-Falah House, the Jamaat-i-Islami’s provincial office, on Al-Gillani Street and asked Mr Rehman to cancel his Chaman visit, citing a security threat.

Mr Rehman explained that he just wanted to exp­ress solidarity with the pro­­­testors, who are demanding a return to the old border crossing system using a national identity card.

Abdul Wali Shakir, the Jamaat’s spokesperson, said Maulana Hidayat had been under house arrest for over 24 hours. He lamented that the action was taken despite assurances from the party to the inspector general of police and other authorities that the party would maintain law and order.

Maulana Abdul Haq Hashmi, JI’s provincial emir, called for the withdrawal of police from the party office.

Hussain Wadela, the central chairman of Haq Do Tehreek Balochistan, tweeted that the policy of “suppressing the voice of the oppressed by force will not work for long”.

Published in Dawn, November 11th, 2023

Opinion

Editorial

Smog hazard
Updated 05 Nov, 2024

Smog hazard

The catastrophe unfolding in Lahore is a product of authorities’ repeated failure to recognise environmental impact of rapid urbanisation.
Monetary policy
05 Nov, 2024

Monetary policy

IN an aggressive move, the State Bank on Monday reduced its key policy rate by a hefty 250bps to 15pc. This is the...
Cultural power
05 Nov, 2024

Cultural power

AS vital modes of communication, art and culture have the power to overcome social and international barriers....
Disregarding CCI
Updated 04 Nov, 2024

Disregarding CCI

The failure to regularly convene CCI meetings means that the process of democratic decision-making is falling apart.
Defeating TB
04 Nov, 2024

Defeating TB

CONSIDERING the fact that Pakistan has the fifth highest burden of tuberculosis in the world as per the World Health...
Ceasefire charade
Updated 04 Nov, 2024

Ceasefire charade

The US talks of peace, while simultaneously arming and funding their Israeli allies, are doomed to fail, and are little more than a charade.