Pakistan

BYC protest against leaders’ arrest underway in Karachi as roads closed for traffic – Pakistan

Several roads around the Karachi Press Club (KPC) were closed for traffic on Monday as the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) began its protest against the recent arrests of its leadership and a crackdown on its Quetta sit-in.

The BYC had announced a protest at the KPC against the “illegal detention” of its key leaders, including Dr Mahrang Baloch who was arrested on Saturday along with 16 other activists from their protest camp in Quetta, a day after they claimed that three protesters had died due to police action.

Subsequently, in a notification dated today, Karachi Commissioner Syed Hassan Naqvi imposed a ban on all types of gatherings across the city under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC).

As BYC supporters tried to reach the KPC, they were intercepted by the police at the Fountain Chowk, where they were met with resistance by the law enforcers.

According to the latest reports from the scene, the police were attempting to detain renowned activist Sammi Deen Baloch and other BYC supporters.

“Both roads from Din Muhammad Wafai Road to MR Kiani Chowrangi towards Fawara Chowk have been closed for traffic,” the Karachi Traffic Police said in a statement on X today.

“Local police have closed the road due to security,” the statement added.

It continued that alternative traffic routes had been devised from MR Kiani Chowrangi towards Court Road, Thana Gali towards Sarwar Shaheed Road and Fawara Chowk towards Zainab Market.

The public was requested to call Traffic Helpline 1915 for alternative routes to avoid any inconvenience.

According to a post on X, the BYC protest in Karachi was scheduled for 4pm and was organised in collaboration with civil society members, while a protest in Quetta was scheduled for noon.

On the other hand, two separate counter-protests were held in the nearby area, where participants held placards and chanted slogans against the BYC as well as BLA.

One such protest was being held outside the KPC, with participants holding placards reading “a link to RAW: BLA and BYC”, referring to India’s intelligence agency Research and Analysis Wing, along with the banned Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA).

Demonstrators hold placards against the BLA and the BYC outside the Karachi Press Club (KPC), on March 24, 2025. — Shahzeb Ahmed

Demonstrators hold placards against the BLA and the BYC outside a petrol pump near Zainab Market, Karachi, on March 24, 2025. — Shahzeb Ahmed

More protesters then gathered at a petrol station near the Zainab Market, with one of the placards reading “two sides of the same coin — BLA and BYC”.

Another demonstration was also held to show solidarity with the armed forces at the Fountain Chowk near Zainab Market.

Videos of the protest showed protesters chanting slogans against the BYC leadership as well as BLA.

The Karachi commissioner on Monday imposed Section 144 across the city “in view of the prevailing law and order situation”, according to a notification.

The notification came in response to a recommendation made by Karachi South Zone Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Syed Asad Raza to the commissioner on Sunday.

Today’s notification by Karachi Commissioner Syed Hassan Naqvi read that under Section 144, he had imposed a “complete ban on any types of protests, demonstrations, sit-ins, rallies and assembly of more than five persons within the Karachi division with immediate effect for March 24, 2025.”

In his recommendation on Sunday, DIG Raza had said that “in the context of [the] present law and order situation in the city, it is required that [the] ban may be imposed in South Zone on protests, demonstrations, sit-ins and rallies” being held on major roads, which would result in traffic jams and posed “grave security threats”.

It had further said that in view of the prevailing law and order situation, “it is essential that necessary measures be taken to protect the participants, the public and the integrity of the event”.

“It is therefore requested that [a] ban on any type of protest, demonstrations, sit-in rallies and assembly of more than five persons may kindly be imposed within the limits of South Zone under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code from March 24 to 31, 2025.”

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