GAWADAR (National Times) The Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) has decided to end its protest in Gwadar, Balochistan\u2019s interior minister confirmed on Friday, after the two sides signed a seven-point agreement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The BYC has been holding protests for almost a week at the Marine Drive in Gwadar and other areas to decry the alleged human rights violations against the people of Balochistan, enforced disappearances, and alleged extrajudicial killings of the Baloch people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As previously reported by Dawn.com, clashes erupted between the protesters and the security forces, killing three protesters and injuring at least 24. BYC leader Dr Mahrang Baloch claimed that over 200 people were arrested by security personnel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Following days of protest, negotiations between the government and the BYC began on Wednesday evening after which officials announced that talks had been \u201csuccessful\u201d and BYC had agreed to call its sit-in off after signing a deal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cNegotiations between the Baloch Yakjehti Committee and the district administration have been successful and the organisers of the committee have agreed to end their sit-ins across the province,\u201d Balochistan\u2019s Interior Minister Mir Zia Ullah Langov said in a statement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI appeal to the people to protest, but do not damage the protest site, attack the forces, or hurt the common people,\u201d he said, adding that the government would \u201cnot allow anyone to take the law into their hands under the guise of protest.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The seven-point agreement
The seven-point agreement, a copy of which is available with Dawn.com, was signed by Gwadar Deputy Commissioner Hamoo\u00addur Rehman and Dr Mahrang.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The statement said that the BYC would end its protest once all the protesters arrested by security forces in Balochistan and Karachi were released.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cProtesters who have been sent to jail on judicial remand will be released by August 5 following court proceedings, the agreement stated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Balochistan government will be in contact with authorities in Sindh to ensure the release of those arrested therein, the agreement stated, adding that all cases registered against the Raji Muchi (Baloch National Gathering) protesters will be withdrawn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It, however, noted that cases related to the loss of lives during protests will not be dismissed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAll highways will be reopened as soon as the sit-in ends, two hours after which mobile network will also be restored\u201d, the document said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A committee consisting of officials from BYC and the district administration will also be established, while all items confiscated from the protesters by the government will be returned within a week, it stated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cNo one will be subjected to harassment or retortion for participating in the protest once the sit-in ends,\u201d the agreement added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It further said that a case will be registered on the complaint of families of those killed or injured during the protests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOnce the ongoing sit-in at Gwadar\u2019s Marine Drive ends, all other sit-ins across the province will also be called off, the agreement noted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2018We will not accept compensation from govt\u2019
Meanwhile, the BYC has refused to accept any compensation from the government for those killed or injured during the protests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe have categorically told them [the government officials] that the blood of our martyrs is not so cheap, so we will not insult our Baloch national martyrs by accepting compensation,\u201d Dr Mahrang Baloch wrote on the X platform.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe reward for the blood of our national martyrs is not five or ten million rupees but continuous struggle, resistance, national unity, and national goal\u201d she added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She further said that the BYC was not willing to seek compensation for those injured during the protests either, adding that the group will collect donations from people even if they have to go from door to door.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBut we will not accept any compensation from this state in any case and prove that the Baloch are a living and brave nation.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
GAWADAR (National Times) The Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) has decided to end its protest in Gwadar, Balochistan\u2019s interior minister confirmed on Friday, after the two sides signed a seven-point agreement. The BYC has been holding protests for almost a week at the Marine Drive in Gwadar and other areas to decry the alleged human rights […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":87091,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-87090","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-national","entry"],"yoast_head":"\n