A peaceful gathering of students protesting in Islamabad against enforced disappearances of some students from Balochistan was lathicharged by the police. Many protesters received injuries and were taken to hospital for treatment. Hundreds of Baloch students studying in different universities of Islamabad had gathered in front of the National Press Club to also oppose racial profiling of Baloch students studying in different universities of Punjab and Islamabad and the safe release of their companions. They alleged that Punjab police had forcefully detained four Baloch students from their university hostels in Lahore, kept them in custody and released them after much effort. The police also confiscated the mobile phones of several students. Photographs and videos of the confrontation went viral on social media, drawing widespread condemnation. Some asked uncomfortable questions such as: ‘would the police have adopted similar tactics to deal with theTehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan or Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan’. No answers yet.
