Staff Reporter, Manan Mandokhail:
Quetta: A heavy contingent of police stormed the Quetta Press Club and arrested candidates who had gathered for a press conference regarding government job recruitments.
According to reports, the arrested individuals were shortlisted candidates under the SBK Testing Service for education department vacancies.
”Police arrested 32 teachers in violation of article 144”, Muhammad Baloch, the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Quetta said.
The Balochistan Union of Journalists and Quetta Press Club condemned the police raid on Quetta Press Club and the arrest of SBK candidates, calling it an attack on press freedom. They urged CM Mir Sarfaraz Bugti to suspend the responsible officers, warning of strong protests if action is not taken.
Police stated that the arrests were made on charges of interfering in official duties, as the candidates had been protesting and violating Section 144 through sit-ins and demonstrations.
The detained candidates were shifted to various police stations across the city. Protesters claim they had been staging a sit-in for two days, demanding appointment letters for the advertised positions.
“We came to book a press conference, but the police arrested us instead,” said one of the detained candidates.
The incident has sparked condemnation from civil society, with calls for a resolution to the issue of delayed job appointments.
