Student Leaders Condemn Police Brutality at Bolan Medical College, Demand Compensation for Lost Property
Quetta:The leadership of the All Students Alliance (ASA) at Bolan Medical College, including Azhar Baloch, Tahir Shah Kakr, Zain Kakr, and Waseem, strongly condemned the use of excessive force, including baton charges, violence, and the indiscriminate use of tear gas against students at the college. They demanded that the college administration and police officials be held accountable for sending students to jail and for the theft of valuable property during the action. According to the leaders, mobile phones, laptops, and other personal items worth millions of rupees went missing from the college hostel during the crackdown, and they called for compensation for the lost property.
The student leaders made these statements during a press conference at the Quetta Press Club on Friday, where they were joined by other student organization leaders. They further announced plans to organize a seminar on Sunday as part of a national campaign of protests to highlight the ongoing issues at Bolan Medical College.
The student leaders pointed out the dire state of both the education and healthcare systems in Balochistan, criticizing successive governments for making lofty promises while the ground realities remain unchanged. They stated that Bolan Medical College, from its inception to the present day, has been riddled with problems, including irregularities in medical admission tests and frequent strikes by the Health Department against privatization. They emphasized that there has not been a single academic year where BMC students have not had to protest for their rights.
They also condemned the college and hostel lockdowns, calling them a deliberate effort to distance Balochistan’s students from education and turn educational institutions into security zones. The leaders stressed that peaceful protests are their fundamental right and that hostels are meant to provide accommodation for students. However, in Balochistan, students are being forcibly evicted from hostels, a move they see as an attempt to keep students, especially those from remote areas who cannot afford private accommodation, away from education.
The ASA leaders called on the authorities to address these issues promptly and ensure that students are provided with the necessary facilities to continue their education without fear of repression or deprivation.
