|
Mahrang Baloch, central organiser of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), has submitted an appeal to Pakistan's Supreme Court contesting the dismissal of her bail plea after her arrest, according to a report by The Balochistan Post (TBP).
The petition was filed through lawyer Jibran Nasir, who is representing Baloch in the matter. The appeal comes after the Balochistan High Court rejected her bail application on 23 February. The case is linked to a First Information Report (FIR) lodged at the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) police station in Quetta on 6 January, 2026. The complaint was registered by Sub-Inspector Asghar Ali. According to the FIR, Baloch had been placed on the Fourth Schedule under Pakistan's Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) 1997, a monitoring list for individuals regarded as potential security threats. Authorities claim that she did not fulfill mandatory attendance requirements and continued taking part in public meetings and protest sit-ins. The FIR further alleges that she offered support to the banned militant organisation Baloch Liberation Army (BLA). These allegations have not been independently verified, and Baloch, along with her supporters, has previously denied similar claims, as cited by TBP. The case was filed under Sections 11-EE and 11-F(1)(2) of the Anti-Terrorism Act, which relate to membership in or support for banned organisations. Baloch was initially arrested on 22 March 2025 and held for 30 days under the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) law. Her detention was later extended twice, each for an additional 30-day period. She was then formally arrested on 21 August 2025 in a separate case while still in state custody, TBP reported. Earlier, on 12 June last year, Baloch had also challenged her detention under MPO provisions. However, the Balochistan High Court later upheld that detention in a ruling issued on 22 May. Mahrang Baloch is among the most prominent human rights campaigners in Balochistan and has led protests related to enforced disappearances, detentions, and wider civil rights concerns in the region. Her legal battle has attracted considerable attention and criticism from activists and observers, who see the proceedings as a significant test of civic freedoms and the treatment of dissent in Pakistan, according to TBP. (ANI)
|
