Pakistan slammed for imposing false terrorism charges on Baloch leaders

Quetta, July 8 (IANS) Several human rights activists on Tuesday condemned the detention of Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) chief Mahrang Baloch and other leaders following a fresh 10-day remand ordered by Pakistan's Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC), based on what the BYC described as "fabricated police complaints".

According to the human rights body BYC, Mahrang Baloch, Shah Jee, Beebagr Baloch, Ghafar Baloch, Gulzadi, and Beebow Baloch were on Tuesday abruptly informed by the Jail Superintendent that their preventive detentions under the Maintenance of Public Order (3MPO) had been removed. They were told that police would arrive soon to arrest and present them before the Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC).

"This move came several hours before the scheduled 3MPO review board meeting, which was officially set between 12 noon to 1 PM that same day. Despite this, BYC leaders were taken to the ATC and presented in court between 10 to 11 AM," the BYC stated.

"During the hearing, the ATC judge specifically inquired about the status of the MPO detentions. Intelligence and Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) officials falsely claimed the 3MPOs had already been lifted. Based on these false representations, the ATC ordered a 10-day police remand for all six BYC leaders under newly lodged and baseless FIRs," it added.

The BYC asserted that deliberate circumvention of due process — falsely claiming the MPOs were lifted before the board convened — is a calculated attempt to deny lawful release and escalate the persecution of BYC leadership.

"From arbitrary more than three-month 3MPO detentions to illegal post-3MPO custody, and now the imposition of false terrorism charges with 10-day remand, the state has launched a coordinated legal and administrative assault against the Baloch Yakjehti Committee. This is not a case of isolated misconduct — it is a systematic campaign to criminalise peaceful political resistance through lawfare, deception, and repression," the rights body emphasised.

The BYC strongly condemned "this continued misuse of the legal system" to suppress their movement. It demanded the immediate and unconditional release of all detained BYC leaders and called on national and international human rights bodies to take urgent notice of this abuse of law and due process.

Shalee Baloch, organiser of the Baloch Women Forum, expressed concern over the illegal detention of the BYC leaders, reiterating that Mahrang Baloch and her colleagues should be immediately released without any further delay.

"The abrupt elimination of 3MPO and direct Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) trial, that too the same day when the judicial commission was to inquire about the three-month detention of the BYC leaders including Mahrang Baloch, raises our concerns for the free and fair legal procedure. I believe that such tactics are used as a delay method to harass peaceful political workers," Shalee Baloch, said in a post on X.

"It has been over three months since the BYC leadership has been facing illegal detention merely based on acts they have not done. Instead of releasing them earlier, the state and its law agencies are using other means to further exploit the state laws. If they had to go for an ATC trial, they could have done it before, and not now when they had to present a review of the three-month detention," the post added.

Baloch human rights activist and writer Mir Yar Baloch also took to social media, demanding the unconditional and immediate release of all Baloch hostages.

"Enemy can put our people, including Mahrang Baloch, behind the bars but can't defeat our ideology, determination and resistance for the defence of Balochistan. The occupational forces of Pakistan are having 40,000 Baloch hostages in its secret detention centers across Balochistan and other areas of Pakistan," said the Baloch human rights activist.

--IANS

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