During a press conference held at the Karachi Press Club, leaders from various civil society organizations, including the National Trade Union Federation, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, and the Home-Based Women Workers Federation, cautioned the government about the potential serious consequences that may arise from using excessive state force against activists and political workers.

They expressed their concerns regarding the breach of citizens’ constitutional rights during recent protests, specifically referencing the extrajudicial killings of Baloch youths in Turbat, the physical abuse of demonstrators by the police, the arrest of march participants in Islamabad, and an assault on their camp by unidentified attackers.

Sindh police have charged four activists, Saeed Baloch, Nasir Mansoor, Abdul Wahab Baloch, and Illahi Bakhsh Bikak, alongside approximately 240-260 individuals, with “abetting mutiny.” This is in response to their participation in a rally held outside the Karachi Press Club over the weekend, where they expressed their support for the Baloch people who were protesting against enforced disappearances in Balochistan. As a result of their actions, cases have been filed against them, and authorities have attempted to suppress their voices.

HRCP chairman Asad Iqbal Butt stated that the state is refusing to grant citizens their fundamental rights as outlined in the Constitution. He added that those who violate citizens’ fundamental rights are pushing the country towards chaos.

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PTM sources further said that two activists of the group were injured, but Pashteen remained unhurt.

In a statement issued four hours after the arrest, Chaman Deputy Commissioner Raja Athar Abbas claimed that the arrest was made after PTM workers fired at the police from Pashteen’s vehicle.

Before his arrest on Monday, Pashteen had addressed a sit-in in Chaman against the forced deportation of Afghan refugees from Pakistan. During his speech at the Chaman protest, he had announced that the PTM would stand in solidarity with the Baloch activists who have staged a sit-in in Turbat.

Last month, National Democratic Movement (NDM) Chairman and former lawmaker Mohsin Dawar was briefly detained in Quetta and forced to go back to Islamabad while he was on his way to Chaman to attend this protest against Pakistan government’s new border crossing laws.

A day later, Maulana Hidayatur Rehman Baloch, the leader of Gwadar’s rights movement Haq Do Tehreek (HDT), was also arrested by local authorities ahead of his visit to Chaman for participation in the same protest. The sit-in in Chaman has been going on for over 40 days now.

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