Mahrang Baloch | Pakistan

A Karachi anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Wednesday acquitted Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) leader Dr Mahrang Baloch in a case of sedition and public mischief registered against her in October last year. Mahrang had been booked in the terrorism case by Malir district’s Quaidabad police on Oct 11, 2024, for allegedly inciting people by levelling “allegations against security institutions”. ATC Judge Ayaz Mustafa Jokhio announced the verdict today on Mahrang’s acquittal plea in the case, filed by Advocate Jibran Nasir. “I am of the view that there is no probability of the accused being convicted of any offence. I hereby allow this application and acquit the accused, Mst. Mahrang Baloch, d/o Abdul Ghaffar,” the court order read. The rights activist was cleared of charges under section 265-K (power of court to acquit accused at any stage) of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC). Mahrang, as per the court order, appeared via video link from Quetta Prison, where she has been incarcerated after her arrest in March....

The latest hearing of cases against Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) chief Dr Mahrang Baloch and other group leaders was held in Quetta District Jail instead of an anti-terrorism court (ATC), it emerged on Sunday, with the advocacy group terming the development a “disturbing display of institutionalised repression”. The BYC, a Baloch advocacy group working against enforced disappearances since 2018, posted in a statement on X that the judicial remand of the detained BYC leaders was further extended for ten days. Mahrang and other BYC leaders, including Sibghatullah Baloch, Beebow Baloch, Beebarg Baloch and Gulzadi Baloch, were arrested under the Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance (MPO) in March and have remained in custody since then, being remanded multiple times. Israr Baloch, the counsel for Mahrang, confirmed Saturday’s developments to Dawn.com. The case was heard by Judge Muhammad Ali Mobin of ATC-1, he said. “Instead of presenting the BYC leaders in ATC-1, the BYC legal team was summoned to District J...

An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Quetta on Friday refused to extend the physical remand of Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) chief Dr Mahrang Baloch and other organisers, according to the group’s lawyer. Advocate Israr Jatak, a member of BYC’s legal team, told Dawn.com, “Quetta ATC-1 refused to extend the physical remand of five accused, namely Mahrang, Bebow Baloch, Sibghatullah Shahji, Beberg Baloch and Gulzadi and ordered them to be sent to jail on judicial remand.” In a hearing presided over by Judge Muhammad Ali Mubeen, the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) produced Mahrang and others in court today after the completion of their 15-day physical remand granted on September 11. Advocate Shoaib Mengal, along with Advocate Jatak, appeared in the court on behalf of the accused. The CTD requested the court for an extension to the physical remand of the accused, but Judge Mubeen refused, asking for the accused to be handed over to jail custody. On September 11, a Quetta ATC judge extended the physical remand of ...

Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) chief Dr Mahrang Baloch on Saturday was granted bail by an anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Karachi in a case pertaining to terrorism and sedition charges from October last year. The BYC chief is currently in police custody on physical remand, which was extended for 15 more days by an ATC in Quetta on Thursday. Mahrang was arrested on March 22 on allegations of “attacking” the Quetta Civil Hospital and “inciting people to violence” and has been remanded several times. According to a copy of today’s court order available with Dawn.com, the state prosecutor “vehemently” opposed the court granting bail to the BYC chief because the allegations against Mahrang are of a serious nature and the investigating officer collected sufficient evidence which could be presented in court. Last October, Mahrang was booked in a terrorism case as a first information report (FIR) was registered by Malir district’s Quaidabad police on the complaint of a local resident who claimed that the BYC leader wa...

An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Quetta on Thursday extended the physical remand of Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) chief Dr Mahrang Baloch and other organisers of the group on the police’s request, according to her lawyer. Advocate Israr Baloch told Dawn.com: “The arrested leaders of the BYC were presented before Judge Muhammad Ali Mubeen of Quetta ATC -1, who extended their physical remand in police custody for 15 more days on the police’s request,” adding that apart from Mahrang, Bebow Baloch, Sibghatullah Shahji, Gulzadi and Beberg Baloch were presented in the court as well. The BYC is a Baloch advocacy group working against enforced disappearances since 2018. Its chief Mahrang, along with other BYC members, was arrested on March 22 on allegations of “attacking” the Quetta Civil Hospital and “inciting people to violence”. The arrests were made a day after the group faced a police crackdown while protesting against alleged enforced disappearances. Mahrang was taken into custody under Section 3 of the Maint...

An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Quetta on Saturday remanded Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) chief Dr Mahrang Baloch and other organisers of the group to police custody for 20 days, once again extending her detention. In March, Mahrang and other BYC members were arrested for “attacking” the Quetta Civil Hospital and “inciting people to violence”, a day after the group faced a police crackdown while protesting against alleged enforced disappearances. Mahrang has been held at the Hudda District Prison in Quetta under Section 3 of the Mainte­nance of Public Order (MPO) — a law that empowers authorities to arrest and detain individuals suspected of posing a threat to public order. Last month, the Quetta ATC handed the BYC chief and other organisers of the group into police custody for 15 days. Advocates Israr Baloch, Shoaib Baloch and Awais Zehri appeared on behalf of the BYC leadership in today’s hearing, presided over by ATC Judge Muhammad Ali Mubeen. Israr told Dawn.com that Mahrang, Beebow Baloch and Gulzadi ...

An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Quetta on Friday handed Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) chief Dr Mahrang Baloch and other organisers of the group into police custody for 15 days, marking yet another extension of their detention. In March, Mahrang and other BYC members were arrested for “attacking” the Quetta Civil Hospital and “inciting people to violence”, a day after the group faced a police crackdown while protesting against alleged enforced disappearances. The BYC is a Baloch advocacy group working against enforced disappearances since 2018. Mahrang has been held at the Hudda District Prison in Quetta under Section 3 of the Mainte­nance of Public Order (MPO) — a law that empowers authorities to arrest and detain individuals suspected of posing a threat to public order. On July 8, a Quetta ATC handed Mahrang and other activists into police custody for 10 days, extending their three-month detention. The other activists were Gulzadi, Bebow Baloch, Sibghatullah Shahji, Ghaffar Baloch and Beberg Baloch. Today...