The District and Sessions Court has acquitted 197 members of the Baloch Solidarity Committee (BSC), citing the prosecution's failure to prove the charges. Judicial Magistrate Shehzad Khan accepted the defendants' acquittal requests, ruling that the prosecution could not substantiate the allegations. According to the case, the defendants were accused of calling for a protest in the Red Zone in December 2023, intending to prevent entry to key locations such as the Prime Minister's House, Supreme Court, and President House. They were also accused of inciting unrest against state institutions. The court noted that the Baloch Solidarity Committee, led by Dr. Mah Rang Baloch, held a 23-day sit-in.

Despite warnings, the protesters allegedly tried to enter the Red Zone, engaged in stone-pelting, and clashed with the police. However, the court concluded that the prosecution failed to prove acts of vandalism or obstruction of official duties by the defendants. Except for one accused, Zaheer, the prosecution could not establish charges against the others. The prosecution also failed to distinguish between actual perpetrators and innocent students among the 197 accused. The court ruled that there was no likelihood of proving the crime, and proceeding with a trial would waste judicial time. Consequently, 32 petitioners and other arrested students have been acquitted.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan