Police officers arrested, implicated and suspended for violent protests in Quetta

The Baloch Hal News

QUETTA: Taking stern action against policemen and officers responsible for violent protests in the provincial capital on Monday, the Balochistan government arrested 15 policemen, including three officers, registered cases against 250 policemen and suspended 30 others.

Government sources in Quetta said on Tuesday that the Balochistan government had called for the Frontier Corps (FC) to take over Quetta city for maintaining law and order and guarding sensitive official buildings, including the Governor and Chief Minister houses which were ransacked by a mob of policemen demanding an increase in their salaries and privileges.

15 policemen, including three officers, have been arrested, 30 others suspended and cases have been registered under Criminal Act at Civil Line Police Station against some 250 policemen in connection to applying violence during a protest rally in Quetta city. The policemen used official weapons to open fire in the air to harass the masses, burnt tyers to forcefully shut different roads, damaged several vehicles and beat up civilians.

A high-level official meeting discussed on Monday evening the damage caused by policemen during their protest. Hence, Deputy Superintended of Police (DSP) Mohammad Nawaz Salachi and DSP Murtaza Kiayani were arrested because of their active participation in the violent protests. The government has also replaced the Deputy Inspector General (DIG), Shahid Nizam Durrani, with Regional Police Officer Ghulam Shabir Shiek. Likewise, Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Abid Nothkani has been ordered to report at the Services and General Administration Department.

The FC personnel were deployed at the headquarters of the Anti-Terrorist Force, Police Line, Police Training College, Governor House, Chief Minister House, Zarghoon Road, Prince Road, Jinnah Road, Masjid Road, Shahra-e-Iqbal, Shahra-e-Liaqat, Kasi Road and several other important areas. The FC also took control of the police arsenals.

Murtaza Baig, a spokesman for FC, told the Baloch Hal that 800 personnel of Ghazaband Unit of FC had been deployed to assist the police to deal with the new law and order situation caused because of the strike launched by policemen. He said no new official request had been made by the Balochistan government. The fresh deployments are a part of a prior request made by Balochistan government in June 2009 to FC to assist the provincial government to contain cases of target killings.

Policemen continued their strike for the second day in different parts of Balochistan including Quetta. Personnel of the Anti-Terrorist Force (ATF) refused to give official protocol to Balochistan ministers as an extension of their strike. They have also promised to opt for a weapon-down strike from February 1^st if their demands are not met instantly. Acting Inspector General of Balochistan Mohammad Akbar said many policemen were not given weapons on Tuesday when they came on duty on Tuesday owing to the sensitive state of law and order due to the ongoing strike.

Protesting policemen blocked the national highway in Loralai to seek an increase in their salaries. No formal dialogue has started between the provincial government and the protestors yet.