Following outcry over the baton-charging and arrests of Baloch protesters by Islamabad police, the caretaker government said on Thursday that all women and children had been released.

“On the directives of the premier, it was decided that all women and children, without any exceptions, will be released. Further, all men who have been identified have also been released,” said privatisation minister Fawad Hasan Fawad at a press conference in Islamabad alongside Information Minister Murtaza Solangi and culture minister Syed Jamal Shah.

The development came hours after unanimous condemnations from human rights organisations, analysts and politicians had poured in criticising the “violent state crackdown” on the Baloch protesters. Islamabad police had arrested dozens of Baloch men and women last night during a demonstration against enforced disappearances and extra-judicial killings.

Videos of the arrests shared on social media showed security officials firing water canons and tear gas at the protesters. They could also be seen dragging Baloch men and women into police vans and beating them with clubs.

The police also dismantled camps and loudspeakers set up by the demonstrators outside the National Press Club.

Following the outcry, the government had formed a negotiating team comprising Solangi, Fawad and Shah to hold talks with the families of the protesters.

During the press conference, Fawad said that a situation was developed on purpose where police clashed with protesters. He further said that the Islamabad police chief Akbar Nasir Khan had also presented the facts before the Islamabad High Court (IHC).

He said that the IG told the court that protesters were present from beforehand and they did not instigate the chaos. Fawad said that there were some people present who had already made sure to cover their faces and had planned what to do.

The minister said that the protesters had been advised to demonstrate at another location. “However, they did not pay heed to this advice and when they advanced, the local element which had plans to exploit the situation did so and created such a situation,” he said.

The minister said that the government negotiating team met the protesters, who stated that they had no intention of creating a law and order situation. “As I said before, our conviction is that the protesters from Balochistan were not responsible [for this],” he said, adding that there were locals that wanted to exploit the situation.

Fawad said that there were some people who were still being identified ad investigated. He said that the IHC had directed the Islamabad police chief to inform it about the process by tomorrow morning.

“We have also asked the Islamabad IG to try and not seek more time tomorrow and to identify them. Because we think that a lot of things will come forward after [the process of] identification. Their origin and their identity will help to determine whether they were supposed to be present there or not or whether they were there for a particular purpose.”

Fawad said that more than 90 per cent of the men who were detained had been released. He further said that the government had also noted the “separate grievances” of the people and would bring them to the premier’s attention.

He said that the “peaceful protest” had been ongoing for 23 days, and the Islamabad police and administration did not interfere as long as it was ongoing.

“So to say that there is no permission for peaceful protests is not correct. Peaceful protests and any other kind of protest are restricted to the parameters of the law,” he said.

The minister said that Pakistan’s security situation was in front of everyone. “The administration, police and intelligence agencies had clear and credible evidence that if people were gathered on a main street for an extended period of time, the situation would be exploited.”

He said that sometimes the state was compelled to take steps in order to prevent a major incident, asserting that his heart beat with the province of Balochistan.

He said this was the reason the protesters were asked to relocate to H-9 ground or F-9 park. “This was a credible fear. It was not something prepared and sent by a lower official from the Special Branch. It was a credible fear and it was very important to prevent such a situation from arising,” he said.

He further said that stones were thrown by individuals who were not with the Baloch protesters and had hidden their faces, after which police had to take action.

‘Inexcusable treatment’

The long march led by Baloch women — which started in Turbat on Dec 6 after the alleged “extra-judicial killing” of a Baloch youth by the Counter-Terrorism Department officials — had reached the federal capital on Wednesday. However, the police blocked entry points of the city along with major arteries to prevent the protesters from reaching the National Press Club.

Initially, police blocked Jinnah Avenue and other routes leading to the press club. They also blocked Srinagar Highway, causing massive traffic jams on the busy road across the federal capital.

In a statement issued late last night, an Islamabad police spokesperson claimed that “masked men carrying batons” were among the protesters. “A non-lethal method to prevent protesters from entering high-security zones is being adopted,” he said, adding that the use of forces was “completely avoided”.

In another statement, the spokesperson said the protesters threw stones at police officials near Chongi No. 26 and Ayub Chowk. “In response, the police arrested and detained several protesters,” he stated.

He added that legal action would be taken against those who blocked roads.

The detained protesters were later moved to the Aabpara, Kohsar, Secretariat and Margalla police station. Meanwhile, women demonstrators were taken to the Women Police Station. Mahrang Baloch, one of the long march organisers, was also taken into custody.

In a post on social media platform X today, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) strongly condemned the “violent police crackdown” on Baloch protesters in Islamabad.

It noted that women, children and the elderly were subjected to “unwarranted force” and separated from their male relatives and allies.

“This treatment of Baloch citizens exercising their constitutional right to peaceful assembly is inexcusable. It also reflects how little the state thinks of the protesters’ demand that their right to life and liberty be upheld,” it said.

The HRCP demanded that all those detained must be released unconditionally. “Once again, we urgently call on the government to organise a delegation to meet the protesters and give their legitimate demands a fair hearing,” it added.

Amnesty International South Asia, a non-governmental organisation focused on human rights, said it was deeply concerned by the excessive use of force by law enforcement against the Baloch protestors.

It stated that the police action was a violation of their rights to liberty, security and protest.

Amnesty demanded that the protesters should be immediately released and charges against them for “solely exercising their right to freedom of expression” be dropped.

“Conduct an impartial investigation of all extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances, particularly in Balochistan, in line with international standards,” it said, adding that families of victims of extrajudicial killing and those “forcibly disappeared” should be compensated.

Meanwhile, BNP-M chief Sardar Akhtar Mengal said he was calling an emergency meeting on last night’s actions.

“What happened in Islamabad last night was a clear example of how the authorities want to deal with the most sensitive issue of Balochistan,” he said on X.

“These families are seeking justice for their loved ones, not demanding anarchy. I condemn this abhorrent treatment by authorities against our women and children and will raise my voice shoulder to shoulder in every way possible,” he vowed, urging everyone in Balochistan to raise their voices.

Activist Ammar Rashid said the images of Baloch women, children and youth being beaten and arrested on Islamabad’s streets “will live on in infamy”.

“This unelected anti-people regime is playing dice with both the federation and constitution to keep itself in power,” he said.

The PTI also condemned the arrests and called on the state to “analyse its decisions and make the most serious efforts to solve the problems, especially the concerns of Baloch citizens”.

Former human rights minister Shireen Mazari called the police action condemnable, adding that it won’t resolve the real issues of the Baloch people.

Activist Ammar Ali Jan said the scenes from last night were “another nail in the coffin of our federation”.

“When peaceful marchers led by women are brutalised on streets of the capital, the state annihilates the possibility of peaceful agitation. Baloch did not choose war. The state imposed it upon them,” he wrote on X.

‘Exercised restraint for 6 hours,’ says Islamabad IG

Meanwhile, Islamabad police posted a video of Inspector General Dr Akbar Nasir Khan speaking outside the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI).

“Islamabad is the federal capital and there are still many foreign delegations present in the city. No one wants their lives to be in danger,” he said.

He asserted that the “use of water is not deadly”, saying that there were “neither children nor women” among the protesters. “There were some individuals present in the Red Zone with their faces covered and armed with sticks,” he said.

“We exercised restraint for six hours and refrained from using force. But when force was used against the police, we had to resort to all this for our own protection,” he said.

“The steps taken to disperse the protesters were unpleasant,” he said. He noted that outsiders often came to Islamabad, adding that such individuals were also responsible for the recent death of a constable and his son.

“Those who try to go toward the Red Zone will be dealt with according to the law,” he said. The Islamabad police chief said that the protesters were told to go to H-9 or F-9 park.

“The security of protestors is also our responsibility. The protestors should have obeyed the law and protested peacefully,” he said.