Gwadar police raid book stall, ‘detain students’

GWADAR: Gwadar police raided a book stall in the port city on Tuesday, confiscating a large number of books and reportedly detaining several students.

The raid targeted a stall set up as part of a book caravan organised by the Baloch Students Action Committee. According to reports, a police team led by senior officials seized books displayed at the stall, citing concerns over the material contained within them.

“These books have been taken into custody for review of their content,” a police official said. However, while police admitted to confiscating the books, they denied any arrests.

The organisers of the book caravan, however, claimed that police not only seized the books but also detained students involved in the event.

The raid has sparked widespread condemnation from various groups. Gwadar All Parties Convenor Ghafoor Hoth criticised the action, urging the government to focus on tackling more serious societal issues. He demanded the students’ immediate release and permission to set up stalls.

The District Organising Committee of the Haq Do Movement in Gwadar condemned the raid as an act of “severe police brutality.”

Published in Dawn, January 22th, 2025