Gwadar police have arrested six members of Haq Do Tehreek (HDT), an indigenous rights movement, after a local court dismissed their bail applications.
The development comes amid widespread protests in Balochistan against the arrest of Haq Do Tehreek leader Maulana Hidayat Ur Rehman. Maulana Hidayat Ur Rehman was arrested more than two months ago outside a local court over several dubious charges.
Police had also registered a First Information Report against Rehman and other leaders of the movement, including the former caretaker provincial minister Mir Naveed Kalmati, for causing damages to public and private properties.
The arrested HDT leaders include: Haji Javaid, Naveed Muhammad, Naseer Shahzada, Allah Baksh, Abid GM, and Liaqat Baloch.
The police arrested the leaders after their bail applications were dismissed by a local court.
Earlier, a large number of women protesters led a protest demonstration in Gwadar, demanding the release of Rehman. The women also protested against enforced disappearances among other issues.
The HDT has been protesting against the provincial government for more than two months. The HDT has been demanding an end to illegal fishing/trawling and unnecessary check posts.
Authorities in Pakistan are critical of dissenting voices and tend to take strict measures to silence them. Earlier, Karachi Central Jail released a Member of the National Assembly and Pashtun Tahafuz Movement leader Ali Wazir after two years of incarceration in sedition cases.
, an indigenous rights movement, after a local court dismissed their bail applications. ){kind=link}