PONAM call for a long march on the 13 August 2001

Pakistan oppressed Nations Movement (PONAM) Call for a long march on the 13 August 2001, in protest of unlawful arrest and torture of 100’s of students, and an ex-Senator Habib Jalib of Balochistan National Party (BNP). 

It is to be mentioned that the students were arrested when they staged a peaceful protest demonstration in the University of Balochistan. The students were protesting against the appointment of a retired Army officer as the pro-vice chancellor and deployment of the police forces at the campus and setting up of a permanent police Base on the campus.

Ex-Senator Habib Jalib of Balochistan National Party (BNP) has been arrested and tortured without any reason. Since the Military takeover of Pakistan activities of the Army has increased against the people of Balochistan and other smaller Nations.
Unlawful Arrest and detention of political people is a common practice by the Mushraff Regime. Balochvoice 10.8.01
More Students arrested

Police has reportedly arrested a BSO leader Musa Baloch for his involvement in the strike against the illegal appointment of an Army officer as a Pro-Vice Chancellor in University of Balochistan.

According to the sources, the Police are also searching for the other student activists who played key roles in the recent strikes in the city against the appointment of new Vice Chancellor and Pro-Vice Chancellor of the University of Balochistan.

Where the students are opposing these appointments, the University's new management has taken all measures to suppress the student’s demands, and have their own say.

The student’s demands are genuine, and have to be meet. University is not a military institution to have military personal to run it. Balochvoice 6.8.01
Strike observed in Quetta, other cities

QUETTA: A shutter-down strike was observed in the provincial metropolis and other cities of Balochistan, including Loralai, Kalat and Mastung on Friday. The strike call was given by Pakistan Oppressed Nations Movement Students Alliance (PONMSA) and United Progressive Students Alliance (UPSA) to protest the July 12 police action against their activists in Balochistan University.

Nearly all major business centres and market remained closed throughout the day in the city although sparse traffic was on the roads. There was no public transport, which caused a great trouble to the masses. The schedule of flights and railway traffic remained undisturbed while there was thin attendance in offices and schools.

Police claimed to have rounded up over 50 activists of both the students' organisations for forcing the people to keep their vehicles off the roads. The police said some of the protesters even tried to burn tyres at Sariab Road. However, they said the police foiled their attempts.

Heavy contingents of the Frontier Corps (FC), police and Balochistan Reserve Police (BRP) were patrolling on the roads throughout the day to maintain law and order. The office-bearers of the students organisations, however, thanked the transporters' association for their full cooperation.

They strongly condemned the appointment of a retired army officer as pro vice-chancellor and denounced the deployment of the police force in the university. They demanded of the government to accept their demands -- cancellation of the appointment of pro vice- chancellor and withdrawal of the police force from the campus -- immediately otherwise they would be left with no option but to intensify their protest movement.

Reports reaching here from Kalat said the activists of the students organisations blocked the national highway for nine hours --from 8:00 to 5:00 -- and did not allow the passenger coaches to travel. Due to the blockade, hundreds of vehicles stranded there. The officials of the police and administration tried their best to resume the traffic by removing the hurdles, which the students kept on the highway.

But they were unsuccessful, as the protesters had blocked the highway from several places. However, at 5:00 pm, the highway was opened for traffic. The report said the police had arrested nine activists, who were later released. Meanwhile, reports reaching here from Loralai said a strike was also observed there where there was a thin traffic on the roads. Unknown persons pelted stones on the vehicles at various places, the reports added.

Jang 21.7.01
Shopping centres of Quetta closed on strike call

QUETTA: The main shopping and commercial centres remained closed for the whole day on Monday on the call of student groups protesting against the police action at the University Campus earlier last week. The strike call was backed by some of the political parties and it was generally successful.

However, the eating houses, drug stores and other utility shops and establishments were allowed to operate during the day. There were some scenes of scuffles in the main city centres and other semi-commercial areas of this Provincial Capital when activists of the political party and students clashed with those defying their strike call.

Scare or the uneasy calm prevailed as most of the shop keepers were afraid of the student groups and their political supporters if they dared to defy the strike call. Some of the shops in the outskirts and outlaying areas remained opened and no student group tried to disturb those shops nor the business transactions.

Some of the activists who were busy to close down shops forcefully were arrested in the city, police claimed. In University of Balochistan the classes remained suspended and no report of violence was reported. Most of the students stayed away from their normal academic activities on Monday. Armed police guarded some of the shopping centres and they took round of the city centres to prevent any untoward incident.

Heavy contingent of police, FC and BRP was deployed at all business centres, main roads and educational institutions including university of Balochistan. No major clash was reported from anywhere from the city. Deputy commissioner Quetta Arif Ilahi, SSP and heads of other law enforcement agencies paid their due attention towards this through out the day.

Meanwhile, one of the central leaders of BSO, Amin Baloch claimed that police has arrested more than 10 students to foil our peaceful protest against the behaviour of police. Sardar Akhtar Mengal: Former Balochistan Chief Minister, Sardar Akhtar Mengal, said that the the complete shutter down strike in Quetta by the business community has confirmed that the University Police force had committed excesses on the students and they are condemning this act.

Talking to a group of students, he said that the business community had expressed solidarity with the students and both the Vice-Chancellor and the Pro-Vice Chancellor should tender their resignation voluntarily. He said that there was no tradition of tendering resignation voluntarily. He expressed the thanks of the business community for the support to the students. He paid a visit to the police lock up and met the students arrested by the police.

Tuesday, July 17, 2001
Several students were hurt and over 70 arrested

Several students were hurt and over 70 arrested on Thursday 12 july, when police and paramilitary forces opened indiscriminate fire, baton-charge and tear-gas.

When students staged a peaceful protest demonstration in the University of Balochistan. The students were protesting against the appointment of a retired Army officer as the pro-vice chancellor and deployment of the police forces at the campus and setting up of a permanent police station (Base) on the campus.

Several students were injured when police and paramilitary forces opened indiscriminate fire, baton-charge and tear-gas to disperse the peaceful protest demonstration of the students. Pakistan Oppressed Nations Movement Students Alliance (PONMSA) strongly criticised and condemned this barbaric and coward act, and added that Muhammad Siddiq, Jamal Khan and Abdul Qadeer and several more are among the injured who were admitted to Civil Hospital.

PONMSA, the United Progressive Students Alliance (UPSA) Baloch student organisation (BSO) and Pashtoon Student Organisation (PSO) have called for a three-day 'black day' in Quetta from Friday (today), shutter-down strike on July 16, and wheel-jam strike on July 20, to condemn the police action against the students and to press the government to accept their demands.

Balochistan National Party (BNP) and Pushtoonkhawa Milli Awami Party (PMAP) have also condemned the police action against the students and expressed their full support for the student Organisations, and asked all the political parties to support the strike and condemn the police brutalities and use of unnecessary force, which have been going on in recent months. Spokesman PONAM 12.7.2001