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’s hearing was taken up by ATC Judge Muhammad Ali Mubeen, while Mahrang’s counsel, Advocate Israr Baloch and Advocate Shoaib Baloch, appeared in court.
On the request of the police, the judge handed Mahrang and other activists into police custody on a further 15-day remand.
Advocate Shoaib Baloch told Dawn.com that Dr Mahrang’s lawyers opposed the 15-day physical remand and told the court to ask the investigation team what was achieved in the previous 10-day remand.
“No response was given by the investigation team, and zero progress was made,” the counsel said. “Despite this, the court ordered a 15-day remand.”
Tight security arrangements were made today for the activist’s appearance in court.
On Tuesday, international human rights organisation Amnesty International called upon Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfaraz Bugti to “release all detained Baloch activists”.
It called on CM Bugti to drop all charges and overturn detention orders against Baloch activists targeted solely for exercising their rights.
Mahrang was taken into custody under MPO for a period of 30 days (first term) on March 22. Thereafter, her detention was extended for an additional 30 days (second term) through a decision of the Balochistan Home Department in April.
After the BYC leaders had completed three months in custody last month, the provincial government issued a fourth extension order, extending their imprisonment by another 15 days.
While the BYC is not listed among banned organisations by the National Counter Terrorism Authority (Nacta), Mahrang is included on its list of proscribed persons.
Constitutional petitions seeking the release of Mahrang and two other activists were rejected by the Balochistan High Court (BHC) in May.
Subsequently, Mahrang’s sister Nadia Baloch appealed to the Supreme Court in June against the BHC decision.
The petition alleged that her “repeated unlawful detention” and labelling her as a “sympathiser of militants” was a planned effort by the respondents to stop her from raising her voice for missing persons.
The same month, the Kech chapter of the BYC launched a three-day hunger strike in front of the Turbat Press Club in protest of the leadership’s arrests.
