According to information shared on social media, Progressive Students Federation activist Sohail Khoso and other student activists were arrested by police.
According to an organiser of the Progressive Students Federation, Sanagar Ali, the students were reportedly demanding the establishment of a degree college and university along with a library in their district. The students and other young activists had reportedly been protesting for three years.
On 7th October, police arrested the student activists under charges falling in the purview of the Anti-Terrorism Act. According to Sanagar Ali, the FIR against them consists of, amongst others, charges of extortion, criminal intimidation, rioting, possession of deadly weapons, unlawful assembly, and criminal assault.
Sanagar Ali shared the details of the arrest on Twitter, calling the incident ‘nothing but a technical and institutional method of silencing & spreading terror among citizens’. He further demanded the release of the arrested activists and the ‘nullification of the frivolous charges’ on them.
https://twitter.com/Sanagar10/status/1181908114670526465?s=20
Activist Ammar Rashid took to Twitter to express his disapproval of the incident, and stated, “Demanding education (is) now terrorism in Pakistan.”
https://twitter.com/AmmarRashidT/status/1182180221916794881?s=20
While talking to Naya Daur, Ammar Rashid said that resentment among students was rising and this could be partially attributed to the recent education budget cuts amidst rising inflation and a deteriorating economy.