Members of the Balochistan Yakjehti Committee staged a protest rally outside the National Press Club in Islamabad on Wednesday, demanding the release of Mahrang Baloch and other detainees.
In a statement, they expressed, “We have once again come to Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan, with our plea from Balochistan, hoping our voices may be heard here. It is unfortunate that even in the era of advanced technology in the 21st century, we had to travel thousands of kilometers to reach this point because the voices of Balochistan are suppressed in our own land. Severe censorship is imposed on the media, and the doors of truth have been closed.
Today, Balochistan has become a ‘black hole’ for information. Only news that is approved by the establishment is shared, while voices that rise against oppression are silenced. State institutions ignore the ground realities of Balochistan and present a narrative of artificial peace, despite the fact that a merciless war has been imposed on the people of Balochistan.
We are here not only to express our grief but also to represent the political and human rights activists who are the voices of millions of oppressed people silenced for simply raising their voices. We have come to speak on behalf of these brave activists, who have been imprisoned for speaking the truth, and whose only ‘crime’ was demanding justice and peace in Balochistan.
We, the relatives of Dr. Mahrang Baloch, Shaji Sibghatullah Baloch, Bebigar Baloch, Gulzadi Baloch, Bebo Baloch, Mama Ghaffar Baloch, and Imran Baloch, are here today. We have set up this protest camp against the illegal arrests of our loved ones, aiming to make the people of Pakistan and the international community aware that severe deprivation and injustice exist in Balochistan, and that even those who peacefully raise their voices against these atrocities are not safe.
On March 19, 2024, Dr. Mahrang Baloch, Bebigar Baloch, Gulzadi Baloch, and others held a press conference at the Quetta Press Club to highlight the state harassment faced by the workers of the Baloch Solidarity Committee. This press conference was deliberately distorted to link it to the Jaffar Express attack, although the draft and video of the press conference still exist as evidence. Subsequently, a systematic crackdown was launched across the province, resulting in the arrest of over 350 people. Some of these individuals were released months later, but Dr. Mahrang Baloch, Bebo Baloch, Bebigar Baloch, Gulzadi Baloch, Mama Ghaffar Baloch, Shaji Sibghatullah Baloch, and Imran Baloch remain in illegal and unconstitutional detention.
Initially, they were illegally detained under the Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance (MPO). When we approached the court, the case was transferred to the Home Department after a month of hearings. The arrest was again upheld under the MPO, prompting another court application. However, the court dismissed our application, claiming that cases were already registered against the individuals under different sections, despite these cases being bailable and the length of their arrest being illegal. We then approached the Supreme Court, but despite two months passing, the case has yet to be heard.
On June 22, even after the expiration of three MPOs, they were further illegally detained in Huda Jail Quetta for 20 days. Subsequently, on the early morning of July 8, our loved ones were taken from Huda Jail Quetta without notice.
Though previously detained under the MPO, they were presented before the Anti-Terrorism Court, where it was falsely claimed that the terms of their MPOs had expired. They were then transferred to a police station on a 10-day remand based on fabricated FIRs.
For the past nine days, they have been locked up in the police station, and we have been denied access to visit our loved ones.
We staged a sit-in in front of the police station and obtained permission papers from the court to meet them, yet we are still not allowed to do so. Our lawyers are also being prevented from obtaining signatures on legal documents. Despite clear court orders, the police are resorting to hooliganism and misuse of force.
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