A large number of protesters, including women and children, took to the streets in various parts of Balochistan, including Gwadar, Turbat, Pasni, and Ormara, against the incarceration of Gwadar rights movement Haq Do Tehreek leader Maulana Hidayat ur Rehman, who has been in prison for more than three months.
Haq Do Tehreek (HDT) is a protest movement against the government with issues comprising illegal trawling in Gwadar’s water, a high number of security checkpoints, and trade on the Pak-Iran border among others.
Several charges were brought up against Rehman after talks between the HDT’s leaders and the military commander in Balochistan failed over the protest demonstrations organised by the movement demanding basic rights.
The protesters also demanded an end to the practice of enforced disappearance.
In Gwadar, the HDT workers carried placards and banners, demanding the release of Rehman, as well as missing persons.
According to Dawn, leaders of the HDT also addressed the rally, wherein they condemned the “two laws in the province, one for powerful Sardars and other for the Baloch leaders and missing persons”.
The leaders were referring to provincial Minister Sardar Abdul Rehman Khetran, who is accused of murdering three people in his alleged private jail in Barkhan and was granted bail after 14 days of his arrest.
Similar protests were held in other parts of Balochistan.
