By Isak Khan - Own work, CC BY 4.0
Baloch human rights advocate Mahrang Baloch was apprehended by the Quetta Police and local authorities early Saturday morning while she was engaged in a sit-in protest against the injustices faced by the Baloch community. The Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) reported her arrest on X, indicating that the bodies of deceased youths present at the protest site were also taken into custody. “Quetta Police and Administration have detained BYC central leader Dr. Mahrang Baloch along with her associates and have seized the bodies of the martyred youths,” the statement read.
The Quetta police have arrested Dr. Mahrang Baloch, a prominent figure in the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), along with several other activists. Furthermore, they have taken possession of the bodies of the deceased youths, and a crackdown has been initiated against women and children.
The BYC emphasized that the peaceful demonstration in Quetta Sariab was organized in response to the abduction-like arrests of BYC central leader Bebigar Baloch, Dr. Hamal, Dr. Ilyas, Saeed Baloch, and other women. “Police and state forces deployed tear gas, water cannons, and live ammunition during this protest, leading to the deaths of three Baloch youths and injuring many others,” the post highlighted.
Labeling the actions as “state terrorism,” the Baloch Youth Congress (BYC) initiated a sit-in protest in the Sariab area of Quetta on Friday night, accompanied by the bodies of deceased youth.
“At 5:30 am today, law enforcement and other agencies intervened at the sit-in, forcibly took the bodies from the demonstrators, and detained BYC central leader Dr. Mahrang Baloch along with several of his colleagues,” the statement concluded.
Dr. Mahrang Baloch, who participated in the sit-in, had previously shared messages on Friday night highlighting the injustices faced by the Baloch people.
In a midnight video message, she called for a complete shutdown across Balochistan. “The Baloch Solidarity Committee has declared a shutdown throughout Balochistan in response to this oppression and state terrorism by Pakistan. Tomorrow, there will be a complete shutter down and wheel jam strike across the region,” she announced.
The ongoing conflict in Balochistan is characterized by demands for increased political autonomy, control over natural resources, and improved socio-economic conditions. Baloch nationalist groups advocate for independence or greater rights, while the Pakistani government has responded with military actions.
