HRCP condemns crackdown on Jamshoro student protest, urges Sindh govt to release detainees – The Tribune

Islamabad [Pakistan] March 7 (ANI): The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) condemned FIRs against protesting students in Jamshoro and urged the Sindh government to withdraw charges and release detainees.

https://x.com/HRCP87/status/1897938156793549177

According to a post shared by HRCP on X, “HRCP is concerned by the FIR lodged against nearly 100 students in Jamshoro, Sindh, who were participating in a protest on 4 March against the development of new canals on the Indus River for purposes of additional irrigation in Punjab. We also deplore the use of disproportionate force against the protestors after the police attempted to prevent them from gathering on the Indus Highway.”

“We remind the Sindh government that under international best practices, nonviolent assemblies that obstruct public roads should not be dispersed with force solely on the basis of the disruption they cause. The FIR must be withdrawn and those still in custody released” read the post.

On Tuesday, law enforcement used batons and deployed tear gas against students at Sindh University in Jamshoro, Pakistan, who were demonstrating against the building of water channels aimed at irrigating vast areas of Punjab using water from the Indus River.

Numerous students involved in the protests were injured and detained as a result of police violence.

The demonstrators were affiliated with the Jeay Sindh Students Federation (JSSF) and the Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz (JSQM) Bashir and Arisar factions, alongside other nationalist groups.

As reported by Dawn, “The police attempted to forcefully disperse the crowd, but the students fought back.” Subsequently, law enforcement utilized tear gas and baton charges, arresting approximately 8-10 students who were protesting, including Nazeer Khoso, Mansoor Buledi, Wazir Leghari, Asghar, Yousuf Jakhrani, Nasem Memon, and Yasir Burfat, the report added.

Sohail Abro, chairman of the Jeay Sindh Freedom Movement (JSFM), has vehemently condemned the violent response to students at Sindh University who were protesting the unlawful construction of canals on the Indus River, as stated by Voice of Sindh News. (ANI)

(The story has come from a syndicated feed and has not been edited by the Tribune Staff.)