QUETTA: The Quetta police baton charged and arrested a huge number of protesting young doctors in Quetta on Wednesday afternoon. The clash broke out when the demonstrators marched towards the red zone.

Young doctors and paramedics across Balochistan have been protesting for over four months now. Their demands are basic: better facilities, cheap medicines, and proper machinery at hospitals.

On January 12, when the doctors tried to enter the red zone, the police first stopped and then baton charged them. Videos from the protest, available, show police officers beating up demonstrators with sticks.

In response, a number of protesters attacked the police too after which the officers dragged the men and pushed them into police vans. They have been taken to the Kharotabad and Cantt police stations.

The doctors, despite the chaos, have refused to budge and decided to stage a sit-in demanding their colleagues be immediately released. Later, the assistant commissioner reached the protest site and started negotiations with the protesters.