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Mahrang Baloch

Mahrang Baloch (born 3 February 1993) is a Pakistani Baloch medical doctor and human rights activist prominent for leading campaigns against alleged enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings in Balochistan province.^[1]^[2] As leader of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), she organized a long march from Turbat to Islamabad in December 2023, covering over 1,600 kilometers to protest state-sponsored abuses, drawing thousands and international scrutiny.^[3]^[4] Her activism stems from personal tragedy, as her father was subjected to enforced disappearance in 2009, briefly released, and later found dead under suspicious circumstances.^[5]^[6] Baloch's efforts have amplified Baloch grievances amid Pakistan's counterinsurgency operations, but she faces accusations from Pakistani authorities of serving as a proxy for the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), a designated terrorist group responsible for attacks including the March 2025 Jaffar Express hijacking.^[7]^[8] On 22 March 2025, she was arrested during a protest in Quetta and charged with terrorism, murder, and sedition under Pakistan's Anti-Terrorism Act, remaining in detention as of October 2025 with ongoing trials marked by delays.^[4]^[9] Her case has prompted calls for release from UN experts and human rights organizations, who view the charges as reprisal for peaceful advocacy, though Pakistani officials link BYC protests to separatist violence.^[9]^[10]

Early Life and Education

Family Background and Personal Losses

Mahrang Baloch was born on February 3, 1993, in Balochistan, Pakistan, as the eldest of six siblings, comprising five sisters and one brother.^[4] Her father, Abdul Gaffar Langove, was a prominent Baloch nationalist leader advocating for regional rights.^[11] The family resided in a context of ongoing ethnic tensions in Balochistan, where Langove's activism placed them at risk from state security forces.^[12] In December 2009, when Baloch was 16 years old, her father was abducted by unidentified individuals, marking the beginning of her family's direct confrontation with enforced disappearances.^[13] Nearly two years later, in July 2011, his tortured and bullet-riddled body was recovered in Lasbela district, bearing evident signs of severe abuse.^[12] ^[11] This loss profoundly shaped Baloch's early life, prompting her to protest publicly by burning schoolbooks outside the Quetta Press Club as a demand for accountability.^[14] The family's tragedies continued in December 2017, when her brother, Nasir Baloch, was forcibly disappeared amid similar allegations of state involvement.^[12] ^[3] Reports indicate he endured torture during captivity, though his ultimate fate remains tied to unresolved claims of release under duress.^[3] These sequential losses within her immediate family underscore the personal stakes driving Baloch's subsequent human rights advocacy in a region plagued by thousands of documented disappearances.^[15]

Academic Training and Medical Qualifications

Mahrang Baloch earned her Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) degree from Bolan Medical College in Quetta, Balochistan, Pakistan's primary medical institution in the province.^[2]^[16] This five-year undergraduate program provided her with foundational training in clinical medicine, surgery, and public health, qualifying her to practice as a physician under Pakistan's regulatory framework governed by the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council. During her medical studies, Baloch balanced academic pursuits with early involvement in human rights advocacy, including support for families affected by enforced disappearances in Balochistan, though she prioritized completing her degree amid regional instability.^[13] No public records indicate postgraduate specialization beyond her MBBS, such as residency in gynecology or surgery, despite occasional unverified claims; her professional identity remains tied to general medical practice in the region.^[17] Her training emphasized healthcare delivery in underserved areas, aligning with Balochistan's challenges in medical infrastructure and access.^[18]

Professional Background

Medical Career in Balochistan

Mahrang Baloch earned her Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) degree from Bolan Medical College in Quetta, the primary medical institution in Balochistan province.^[2] Following graduation, she entered medical practice in the region as a physician affiliated with a government hospital, engaging in postgraduate training regulated by the College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan (CPSP), which limits house officers to 15 days of leave per six months with supervisor approval.^[19] Her professional role involved direct patient care, though specific hospital assignments beyond provincial government facilities remain undocumented in public records. As a general surgeon, Baloch's work centered on clinical duties in Balochistan's under-resourced healthcare system, where she treated patients amid the province's challenges with limited medical infrastructure.^[12] However, her increasing involvement in human rights advocacy led to reports of irregular attendance, with social media evidence and hospital complaints citing frequent absences for protests rather than scheduled shifts.^[19] In October 2024, Pakistani media outlets reported backlash from colleagues and patients over her two-week attempt to travel abroad without fulfilling duties, highlighting tensions between her medical obligations and activist commitments.^[19] Baloch's medical career effectively paused following her arrest on March 22, 2025, during a protest in Quetta, after which she was detained in Hudda District Prison, denying her the ability to resume practice.^[20] Prior to this, her dual roles as doctor and organizer for the Baloch Yakjehti Committee intertwined, with activism often prioritizing campaigns against enforced disappearances over hospital attendance, as noted in contemporaneous coverage from Pakistani sources sympathetic to state perspectives.^[19]

Rise to Activism

Entry into Human Rights Advocacy

Mahrang Baloch's entry into human rights advocacy stemmed from personal experiences with enforced disappearances in her family, beginning in her early teenage years. In 2006, at age 13, she was first detained by Pakistani authorities for protesting the abduction of her father, marking her initial public confrontation with state practices in Balochistan.^[21]^[22] This event occurred amid broader patterns of alleged extrajudicial abductions targeting Baloch nationalists, with her father, a local political figure, among those affected prior to a more widely documented incident.^[21] The disappearance of her father, Ghaffar Baloch, on December 12, 2009, when Baloch was 16, intensified her involvement, propelling her into organized student protests against enforced disappearances. She emerged as a leading voice among Baloch students, utilizing banners, slogans, and demonstrations to demand accountability, continuing these efforts for over two years until his tortured body was recovered on July 1, 2011.^[21] During this period, Baloch aligned with the Baloch Students Organisation-Azad, focusing on mobilizing youth against custodial killings and abductions prevalent in the region.^[21] Her advocacy emphasized empirical documentation of cases, including CCTV footage of abductions, to challenge official denials.^[21] Baloch's transition from these student-led actions to broader human rights work was further catalyzed by her brother Nasir's abduction in December 2017, held incommunicado for approximately three months before release.^[21] While pursuing her medical studies and early career, she increasingly employed social media platforms like Twitter to amplify voices of affected families, shifting from localized protests to coordinated awareness campaigns on systemic issues in Balochistan.^[21] This phase laid the groundwork for her leadership in non-violent resistance, prioritizing recovery of the disappeared over unsubstantiated narratives of militancy.^[22]^[24]

Leadership in Baloch Yakjehti Committee

Mahrang Baloch assumed a leading role in the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), a civil rights group formed to address enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings in Balochistan, following the 2018 abduction of her brother, which prompted her to mobilize affected families.^[3] As a trained medical doctor, she channeled her professional expertise into organizing support networks for victims' relatives, positioning BYC as a platform for non-violent advocacy centered on documentation and public awareness of state-sponsored abuses.^[25] In June 2024, BYC formalized its structure by establishing a central organizing body, electing Baloch as central organizer and Lala Wahab Baloch as deputy, marking a shift toward institutionalized leadership to coordinate district-level chapters across Balochistan.^[26] ^[27] This role solidified her authority in directing strategy, including rallies and sit-ins that unified disparate Baloch communities under demands for accountability, while rejecting armed resistance in favor of legal and protest-based methods.^[28] Baloch's leadership emphasizes women's participation, drawing from her own experiences as a female activist in a patriarchal society, and has expanded BYC's focus to include opposition to resource exploitation projects perceived as enabling disappearances, such as the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.^[25] Despite government designations of BYC figures on anti-terror lists, she maintains the group's commitment to peaceful resistance, attributing internal cohesion to shared grievances over thousands of unresolved cases.^[29]

Major Campaigns and Protests

2023 Baloch Long March

The 2023 Baloch Long March was a women-led protest organized by the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), spearheaded by Mahrang Baloch, to demand an end to enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings in Balochistan.^[30]^[31] It was triggered by the alleged extrajudicial killing of Balach Mola Bakhsh, a young Baloch man reportedly killed by security forces on November 23, 2023, following his abduction.^[30]^[12] The march commenced on December 6, 2023, from Turbat in Balochistan, with participants trekking toward Islamabad to highlight ongoing human rights abuses against the Baloch community.^[32]^[33] Participants, primarily Baloch women and families of the disappeared, faced significant hardships during the over 1,000-kilometer journey, including cold weather, limited resources, and state obstruction.^[31] Upon approaching Punjab province, at least 20 protesters were detained on December 17, 2023, in Dera Ghazi Khan without legal justification, according to human rights reports.^[30] Mahrang Baloch herself was arrested twice during the campaign, underscoring the authorities' efforts to suppress the demonstration.^[34] The protesters reached Islamabad by late December, where they staged a sit-in and issued a seven-day ultimatum to the government on December 28, 2023, to address their grievances, threatening escalation if unmet.^[35]^[36] Pakistani authorities responded with allegations of separatist affiliations among organizers and deployed excessive force, including baton charges and live ammunition threats, to disperse gatherings.^[33] International observers, such as Amnesty International, condemned the harassment and arbitrary detentions as violations of peaceful assembly rights.^[30] The march amplified global attention to Balochistan's issues but yielded no immediate concessions, with the sit-in persisting into early 2024 amid ongoing tensions.^[31]^[34] BYC maintained that the campaign exposed systemic abuses, while official narratives framed it as disruptive to national security.^[12]

2024 Protests and International Visibility

In July 2024, the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), led by Mahrang Baloch, organized the Baloch Raaji Muchi, or Baloch National Gathering, on July 28 in Gwadar, Balochistan, to protest against alleged resource exploitation, enforced disappearances, and state-sponsored genocide. The event aimed to serve as a public referendum on these issues, drawing thousands despite security forces imposing roadblocks, deploying tear gas, and making arrests; three demonstrators were killed during the suppression.^[20]^[37]^[38] A subsequent sit-in in Gwadar, beginning late July, lasted until August 9, when authorities agreed to release detained activists, highlighting the protests' pressure on local governance.^[39] Throughout 2024, BYC under Baloch's leadership held additional gatherings in cities including Quetta on August 18, Turbat, Kalat, Panjgur, and Noshki, attracting crowds of 10,000 to 50,000 relatives of the disappeared and supporters advocating non-violently for accountability. Earlier, on January 25, Baloch marked "Baloch Genocide Remembrance Day" and addressed thousands in Quetta on January 27, sustaining momentum from prior campaigns against over 10,000 reported enforced disappearances in the region. These events emphasized peaceful resistance, contrasting with government claims of separatist incitement, and faced consistent crackdowns including live fire and detentions.^[39]^[40]^[41] The scale and persistence of these 2024 protests elevated Baloch's international profile, culminating in her inclusion in TIME magazine's TIME100 Next list on October 2 for advancing Baloch rights amid turmoil. On December 3, the BBC named her among its 100 inspiring women of 2024, recognizing her role in amplifying the Baloch struggle globally through non-violent advocacy. Coverage in outlets like The Guardian underscored how her leadership united disparate Baloch factions, drawing cross-border solidarity and media scrutiny to Pakistan's handling of the unrest, though Pakistani authorities dismissed the visibility as foreign-backed propaganda.^[42]^[43]^[39]

Recognition and Restrictions

Awards and Media Honors

In 2024, Baloch was selected for TIME magazine's TIME100 Next list, recognizing emerging leaders for her advocacy in defending minority rights amid enforced disappearances and state repression in Balochistan.^[24] Pakistani authorities barred her from traveling to the United States to attend the associated gala event in New York on October 9, 2024, placing her on a no-fly list shortly after the announcement.^[24] Baloch was named to the BBC's 100 Women list on December 3, 2024, highlighting influential figures worldwide for her leadership in the Baloch Yakjehti Committee and protests against human rights abuses.^[43] The selection underscored her role in mobilizing thousands during the 2023 Baloch Long March to Quetta, drawing global attention to extrajudicial killings and disappearances.^[44] In March 2025, Baloch received a nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize, one of 338 candidates that year, for her non-violent campaign against enforced disappearances and for amplifying Baloch voices internationally.^[44] ^[45] The nomination, supported by groups like the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization (UNPO), reflected her persistence despite government harassment, though it also sparked debate over her alleged ties to separatist elements.^[46]

Imposed Travel Bans and Harassment

On October 7, 2024, Pakistani authorities barred Mahrang Baloch from boarding a flight at Karachi airport to travel to New York for a TIME100 Gala event recognizing her human rights advocacy.^[24]^[47] Baloch reported that immigration officials cited unspecified security concerns, effectively imposing a travel restriction without prior formal notification, which she described as an attempt to curtail her freedom of movement and expression.^[48] In response, she announced plans to legally challenge the ban in Pakistani courts, arguing it violated her rights under the constitution.^[48] These restrictions extended from earlier placements on Pakistan's counterterrorism watch list, which authorities invoked to justify monitoring and prohibiting her international travel, including after her attendance at a human rights conference in Norway in July 2024.^[4] Baloch has faced repeated denials of exit permissions, with officials linking her activism to alleged militant sympathies, though she maintains these measures target her peaceful protests against enforced disappearances.^[49] Harassment by state agencies has included surveillance, interrogations, and intimidation tactics. In April 2025, Baloch Yakjehti Committee reported that Pakistani intelligence officials subjected her to a five-hour questioning session under the pretext of investigation, alongside other leaders, amid a broader crackdown on Baloch activists.^[50] Earlier instances involved alleged assassination attempts and smear campaigns discrediting her work, which human rights groups attribute to efforts to silence dissent in Balochistan.^[24]^[51] Such actions align with documented patterns of targeting Baloch human rights defenders through unlawful surveillance and public order pretexts, as noted in international reports.^[52]^[53]

Controversies

Accusations of Separatist Sympathies

Pakistani authorities have accused Mahrang Baloch of harboring separatist sympathies due to her leadership in the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), which they claim facilitates operations of Baloch insurgent groups seeking independence from Pakistan. On October 12, 2024, police in Balochistan filed terrorism charges against her under Pakistan's Anti-Terrorism Act, alleging she incited unrest by making unsubstantiated claims against security forces and supported armed separatist activities in the province.^[54] ^[55] These accusations portray her human rights advocacy as a cover for promoting Baloch nationalism, with officials linking BYC protests to broader insurgent violence, including attacks on infrastructure like the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor projects. Military spokespersons have labeled Baloch a "terrorist proxy," asserting that her failure to denounce Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) operations demonstrates tacit endorsement of separatism. In public statements, Pakistan's Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) has described BYC rallies as aligned with "anti-state elements," citing Baloch's international advocacy—such as speeches referencing Balochistan's historical quest for self-determination—as evidence of disloyalty to the Pakistani state.^[56] Baloch has rejected these claims as fabricated, demanding verifiable proof and framing them as retaliation for exposing enforced disappearances, which she attributes to counterinsurgency tactics rather than legitimate security measures.^[56] Critics outside government circles, including Pakistani analysts, argue that Baloch's selective focus on alleged state atrocities—while omitting condemnations of separatist killings of civilians and security personnel—fuels perceptions of ideological alignment with independence movements. For instance, commentary has highlighted her engagements in forums discussing "Baloch nationalism" and self-determination as implicitly supportive of secessionist goals, though she maintains her work centers on non-violent rights reforms within Pakistan's framework.^[57] ^[58] These accusations have intensified amid Balochistan's ongoing insurgency, where groups like the BLA explicitly demand sovereignty, contrasting with Baloch's public disavowal of violence but persistent emphasis on ethnic autonomy grievances.^[59]

Refusal to Condemn Baloch Militant Attacks

Mahrang Baloch, as leader of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), has drawn criticism for not explicitly denouncing attacks by Baloch militant groups, including the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), which the United States designated a foreign terrorist organization. In 2024 alone, the BLA claimed responsibility for 938 attacks in Balochistan, targeting security personnel, civilians, and infrastructure, yet Baloch and the BYC issued no public condemnations of these operations.^[60] This pattern persisted into 2025; following the BLA's March 11 assault on a passenger train in Balochistan, which killed at least 26 people and injured dozens, the BYC prioritized protests against the Pakistani military's ensuing counteroperations over any rebuke of the militants' role in initiating the violence.^[8] ^[61] Critics, including analysts of South Asian security, attribute this reluctance to a strategic alignment with separatist narratives, where condemning militants risks undermining claims that insurgency stems solely from state repression, potentially alienating BYC's base or inviting militant reprisals.^[8] Baloch has maintained that the BYC remains committed to non-violence, emphasizing in a June 2025 statement from detention that her movement rejects armed struggle while holding the state accountable for its responses.^[62] In a May 2025 social media post responding to Pakistani military spokespersons, she asserted, "I have consistently condemned violence, whether committed by the state or others," without referencing specific BLA incidents.^[63] This selective emphasis on state-perpetrated harms, while omitting militant actions that often provoke escalations, has fueled accusations of tacit endorsement for groups pursuing Baloch independence through force, complicating the BYC's human rights framing amid verifiable militant tactics like bombings and ambushes.^[61] Independent verification of conflict dynamics in Balochistan remains challenging due to restricted access and competing claims, but the absence of targeted denunciations from Baloch contrasts with her vocal critiques of Pakistani forces.^[8]

Pakistani Government Counterarguments

The Pakistani military's Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Directorate General accused Mahrang Baloch of acting as a proxy for terrorists on May 23, 2025, during a press briefing, claiming her leadership of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) served to mask militant activities under the guise of human rights advocacy.^[64] ISPR urged media outlets to expose Baloch and the BYC's "sinister designs," asserting that the group's protests were not peaceful but aligned with separatist agendas, including those of groups like the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA).^[64] In response to international criticism, including UN experts' calls for the release of Baloch activists following arrests in March 2025, Pakistan's Foreign Office dismissed the statements as lacking "balance and proportionality" on March 27, 2025, arguing they relied on "selective and unverified media reports" that ignored the context of terrorism in Balochistan.^[65] The FO contended that detained individuals, including BYC members, were "active participants in a broader campaign of lawlessness and violence," citing incidents where protesters stormed hospitals to seize bodies of militants killed in security operations, such as after a BLA-claimed attack that killed over 30 people.^[65] Pakistani officials emphasized the state's sovereign right to enforce public order and counter terrorism, downplaying claims of arbitrary detentions by framing them as necessary responses to insurgent threats rather than human rights abuses.^[66] Government statements have further challenged Baloch's enforced disappearance narratives by alleging that many listed "missing persons" include verified militants eliminated in counterterrorism operations, as highlighted in a July 29, 2025, official disclosure linking BYC's lists to terrorists like Suhaib Langov, killed in a Kalat raid and falsely portrayed as a victim.^[67] Authorities have portrayed BYC campaigns, including the 2023-2024 long marches, as disruptive to development projects like the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and as proxies influenced by external actors, such as Indian intelligence, to destabilize the region amid ongoing separatist violence.^[67] These counterarguments position Baloch's activism as complicit in or enabling terrorism, justifying restrictions and arrests as measures to safeguard national security rather than suppress dissent.^[68]

Arrest and Imprisonment

2025 Arrest Circumstances

On March 22, 2025, at approximately 5:30 a.m., Dr. Mahrang Baloch, leader of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), was arrested by Balochistan Police during a raid on a peaceful sit-in protest in Quetta, the capital of Balochistan province, Pakistan.^[20]^[9] The sit-in, held on Saryab Road, had been organized by BYC activists to protest police violence the previous day, March 21, when security forces allegedly opened fire on demonstrators, resulting in three deaths and several injuries.^[69]^[70] Protesters were in possession of the victims' bodies, demanding the release of detained BYC members, including Bebarg Zehri arrested on March 20, and an end to enforced disappearances and extrajudicial actions.^[20]^[9] Authorities used batons and tear gas to disperse the gathering, seized the bodies, and detained Baloch along with other activists such as Beebow Baloch.^[9]^[71] Pakistani authorities justified the arrests by alleging that Baloch and associates had attacked Quetta Civil Hospital and incited riots, with the sit-in occurring near the facility amid heightened tensions following a Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) train hijacking on March 11.^[72]^[69] Human rights organizations, including Front Line Defenders and Amnesty International, characterized the protest as non-violent and the raid as an arbitrary crackdown to silence Baloch advocacy, noting initial denial of family access for nearly 12 hours and restricted lawyer visits pending a court order.^[20]^[73] Baloch was transferred to Hudda District Prison in Quetta, where concerns arose over provision of food and medical care, with family-supplied items reportedly barred.^[69]^[20] The government's Foreign Office later dismissed international calls for her release, such as from UN experts, as politically motivated interference.^[74]

Legal Charges and Proceedings

Mahrang Baloch was arrested on March 22, 2025, by Balochistan police during a peaceful sit-in protest in Quetta against police violence that had killed three protesters the previous day.^[75]^[76] She was initially placed under preventative detention pursuant to Article 3 of the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) Ordinance, 1960, allowing up to 30 days' custody without formal charges, which was repeatedly extended.^[75]^[77] Subsequent charges included sedition under Section 124-A of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), as well as terrorism under Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA), 1997, alongside PPC Sections 148 (rioting), 149 (unlawful assembly), 153-A (inciting to sedition), and 500 (defamation).^[78]^[75] These stemmed from allegations of inciting violence, conducting an anti-state social media campaign, spreading seditious material, and supporting terrorists, as detailed in FIRs such as 654/2024 registered on October 11, 2024, at Quaidabad police station in Karachi, leading to Special Case 100/2025.^[78]^[77] Baloch and co-accused including Sibghatullah Baloch, Beebow Baloch, Beebarg Baloch, and Gulzadi Baloch faced physical remands extended multiple times by Anti-Terrorism Courts (ATCs) in Quetta and Karachi, including a 20-day extension on August 2, 2025, and a 15-day extension earlier that month.^[79]^[77] Proceedings advanced unevenly across jurisdictions; on June 12, 2025, Baloch's family petitioned Pakistan's Supreme Court to overturn a provincial high court ruling upholding her arrest under MPO.^[80] An ATC-V in Karachi granted her bail on September 14, 2025, in the sedition and terrorism case tied to FIR 654/2024, requiring a Rs100,000 surety bond and deeming the matter suitable for further inquiry, amid court observations of absent independent witnesses and a delayed charge sheet filed on August 16, 2025.^[78] However, a separate jail trial at Quetta District Jail, presided over by Judge Muhammad Ali Mobin, addressed incitement charges under ATA and PPC; on October 13, 2025, the prosecution failed to submit the challan (formal charge report), prompting postponement to October 18, 2025.^[77] As of October 24, 2025, Special Case 100/2025 was fixed for orders on acquittal applications, following prior hearings including one on September 19, 2025.^[81]^[82]

Detention Conditions and Allegations

Mahrang Baloch was reportedly held in Hudda Jail in Quetta following her arrest on March 22, 2025, where she experienced food poisoning attributed to unhygienic conditions and was denied access to a specialist physician despite repeated requests from her family.^[70] ^[76] Human rights organizations have raised alarms over inadequate healthcare provision, noting that Baloch and other detainees faced risks of torture and were subjected to arbitrary detention without due process, including an initial period of nearly 12 hours during which her whereabouts were unknown and access to family or legal counsel was barred.^[9] ^[83] Family members and advocates have documented ongoing concerns about substandard prison facilities, including limited medical access and potential reprisals for Baloch's activism with the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), amid broader patterns of enforced disappearances and suppression in Balochistan.^[84] ^[20] In communications from detention, Baloch has described harsh conditions, including reports of physical abuse and a hunger strike among inmates protesting their treatment, though Pakistani authorities have not publicly confirmed or refuted these specifics.^[5] Allegations of due process violations persist, with Baloch's detention under the Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance extended beyond initial 90-day limits without judicial oversight, exacerbating health risks in a facility criticized for overcrowding and poor sanitation by monitoring groups.^[75] ^[85] These reports, drawn from direct appeals and on-site assessments, underscore systemic issues in Balochistan's custodial practices, though independent verification remains limited due to restricted access.^[52]

International and Domestic Responses

Global Condemnation and Support

Following the arrest of Mahrang Baloch on March 22, 2025, during a peaceful protest in Quetta organized by the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), multiple United Nations human rights experts issued a joint statement on March 26 demanding her immediate release along with other detained activists. The experts, including special rapporteurs on human rights defenders and freedom of peaceful assembly, described the detentions as arbitrary and part of a pattern of state repression against nonviolent Baloch protesters seeking accountability for enforced disappearances, noting that Baloch's whereabouts were unknown for nearly 12 hours post-arrest.^[9] Amnesty International condemned the incident as a "systematic attack and relentless crackdown" on Baloch activists, calling for the unconditional release of Baloch and others held under the Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance and terrorism charges, emphasizing that such actions violate rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly. In a May 27 report co-signed with four other organizations, Amnesty highlighted ongoing harassment of women human rights defenders like Baloch, urging Pakistan to end arbitrary detentions targeting ethnic minorities.^[52]^[84] PEN International echoed these demands on July 11, 2025, labeling Baloch's detention arbitrary and symptomatic of a campaign to silence Baloch voices, particularly women challenging state narratives on security and disappearances; the group stressed the heightened risks to female activists in Pakistan's ethnic minority regions. Similarly, Front Line Defenders advocated for her prompt release, portraying her as a key campaigner against systemic abuses by Pakistani authorities in Balochistan.^[75]^[86] Civil society coalitions amplified global support, with the Miaan Group and 20 other organizations issuing a joint call on April 29 for Baloch's release, framing her work as essential to documenting enforced disappearances affecting thousands in Balochistan. Hindus for Human Rights expressed outrage on March 26, urging Pakistani authorities to free BYC members and halt cycles of arbitrary detention, while aligning with broader international advocacy for Baloch self-determination and justice. These responses positioned Baloch as a symbol of resistance against extrajudicial practices, though governmental endorsements remained limited to statements from sympathetic diaspora networks rather than state actors.^[87]^[88]

Domestic Reactions and Broader Context

The arrest of Mahrang Baloch on March 22, 2025, prompted widespread protests within Balochistan province, particularly in Quetta, where supporters from the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) and families of the allegedly disappeared rallied against her detention, framing it as part of a broader pattern of state suppression of ethnic Baloch voices.^[89] ^[90] These demonstrations, often led by women, demanded her immediate release alongside accountability for enforced disappearances, echoing the BYC's 2023-2024 long march to Islamabad that drew thousands highlighting similar grievances.^[91] In contrast, mainstream Pakistani political and media outlets reported the events through the lens of official charges, with little vocal domestic support outside Baloch nationalist circles; petitions to the Supreme Court and Balochistan High Court by her family sought habeas corpus and bail, but were largely rejected or delayed, underscoring limited judicial sympathy in state institutions.^[92] ^[93] Pakistani authorities, including security forces, responded by portraying Baloch as aligned with destabilizing elements, with the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) labeling her a "proxy of terrorists" amid accusations of inciting violence during protests against the burial of unidentified bodies at Quetta Civil Hospital.^[94] ^[95] This stance aligned with FIRs charging her and up to 150 BYC affiliates with terrorism, sedition, rebellion, and murder for alleged attacks on public infrastructure and provocation of unrest, reflecting the government's view that such activism indirectly bolsters separatist militants like the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA).^[96] ^[97] Negotiations faltered when Baloch and figures like Balochistan National Party leader Akhtar Mengal rejected conditional release offers requiring cessation of protests, highlighting entrenched distrust between activists and the state.^[98] In the broader context of Balochistan's chronic instability, Baloch's non-violent advocacy via the BYC—focusing on sit-ins and marches against disappearances estimated in the thousands by human rights monitors—represents a civilian counterpoint to armed insurgency, yet her reluctance to explicitly condemn BLA attacks has fueled official narratives of tacit sympathy for separatism.^[4] ^[99] The province, rich in gas and minerals but underdeveloped, has seen cycles of grievances over resource exploitation (e.g., via China-Pakistan Economic Corridor projects), alleged military excesses, and militant reprisals killing security personnel and civilians, with the state prioritizing counter-terrorism operations over addressing root causes like marginalization and lack of provincial autonomy.^[100] This polarization domesticates reactions to Baloch's case, confining robust support to ethnic enclaves while national discourse, influenced by security imperatives, emphasizes threats to territorial integrity over reform.^[101]

References

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Feb 21, 2025 · Among these cases is the disappearance of Mahrang Baloch, a prominent young activist whose ordeal highlights the worsening human rights ...
[16]
Mahrang Baloch Biography - Hamariweb.com
Mahrang Baloch is a famous Pakistani Human Rights Activist, who was born on in Kalat, Balochistan. Find Mahrang Baloch age, husband, net worth, height, weight, ...
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Dr. Mahrang Baloch: A child of resistance for Pakistan's ethnic minority
Apr 17, 2025 · “Mahrang then replaced our father. She helped our mother feed us with her medical scholarships and continued her fight for the Baluchi cause.Missing: qualifications degree<|separator|>
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Abhorrent Role of Dr Mahrang Baloch - CDS
The students of colleges and universities, teachers and the educated segment of Baluchistan have to a large extent been influenced by Dr Mahrang. Her foreign ...
[19]
Dr Mahrang Baloch faces backlash for neglecting patients - Pakistan
Oct 19, 2024 · Dr Mahrang Baloch, a physician at a government hospital in Balochistan, has been attempting to take a trip abroad for the past two weeks, neglecting her ...Missing: medical career
[20]
Baloch woman human rights defender Dr. Mahrang Baloch arrested ...
Mar 28, 2025 · In November 2023, Dr. Mahrang Baloch led the Baloch Long March against extra judicial killings and enforced disappearances. In July 2024 she was ...
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Mahrang Baloch's Struggle Against Enforced Disappearances
Feb 18, 2021 · Mahrang Baloch was sixteen when her father was abducted one morning in December 2009. She soon became a leading voice amongst the students holding the state to ...
[22]
Balochistan Finds Its Voice - Truthdig
Feb 19, 2024 · Courageous female activists like Mahrang are challenging Pakistani suppression of Baloch voices. Since first being detained at 13, Mahrang ...
[23]
Pakistan Bars Activist From Traveling to TIME Event Honoring Her
Oct 8, 2024 · Mahrang Baloch was placed on a security list the day after being named to the TIME100 Next, for her work defending minority rights.Missing: medical hospital
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An Interview With Baloch Yakjehti Committee Leader Dr. Mahrang ...
Feb 25, 2025 · Dr. Mahrang Baloch speaks at a BYC rally in Dalbandin, Balochistan, Jan. 25, 2025. Credit: Facebook/ Baloch Yakjehti Committee.
[25]
Pakistan: Baloch Yakjehti Committee establishes central organising ...
Jun 14, 2024 · Baloch activist, Mahrang Baloch has been chosen to serve as the central organizer, while Lala Wahab Baloch assumed the role of central deputy ...
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Baloch Yakjehti Committee: New Organizational Structure to end ...
Jun 14, 2024 · Mahrang Baloch appointed as the Central Organizer and Lala Wahab Baloch as the Deputy Organizer. During the organizational formation, an interim ...
[27]
Voices of Baloch Nationalism: A Conversation with Mahrang Baloch
Apr 30, 2024 · Under the leadership of Dr. Mahrang Baloch, they formed the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) and marched across Pakistan towards Islamabad.<|separator|>
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Days After Being Barred From Flying, Baloch Activists' Name Added ...
Oct 28, 2024 · The Pakistan government has added the names of Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) leaders, Dr. Mahrang Baloch and Sibagatullah Shah, to the Fourth Schedule list.
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Pakistan: Amnesty International condemns harassment faced by ...
Jan 24, 2024 · At least 20 participants in the march were unlawfully detained on 17 December 2023 in Dera Ghazi Khan, Punjab. ... The Baloch Long March is ...
[30]
Baloch Activists March to Pakistani Capital to Demand End to ... - VOA
Dec 20, 2023 · Our movement will continue until our demands are met,” Mahrang Baloch, a leader of the march, told VOA via phone on her way to the capital.
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Baloch Women are Rising Up – and Going to Prison for It
May 2, 2025 · The march, organized by the women-led activist group Baloch Yakjehti (“Solidarity”) Committee (BYC), started on December 6, 2023 from Turbat and ...
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Pakistan: Excessive use of force and arrest of Baloch human rights ...
Dec 21, 2023 · 'The Baloch Long March' is a women led peaceful protest campaign which started on 6 December 2023. It is a campaign that highlights historic and ...Missing: details | Show results with:details
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Pakistan: Marching for the thousands who disappeared in Balochistan
Feb 2, 2024 · Mahrang Baloch, who organised last year's long march and was arrested twice in the midst of it, told the BBC she hoped it "brought global ...Missing: 2023 | Show results with:2023<|control11|><|separator|>
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Baloch protesters give govt 7-day ultimatum to meet demands - Dawn
Dec 28, 2023 · Dr Mahrang Baloch, one of the organisers of the protest that is demanding an end to enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings of their ...
[35]
Baloch protesters give Pakistan government 7-day ultimatum to ...
Dec 29, 2023 · The Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), a prominent organiser of the Baloch protest march in Islamabad, has given a seven-day ultimatum to the Pakistan government.
[36]
In Pakistan's Balochistan region, families of victims of repression ...
Aug 22, 2024 · Violently crushed by the authorities, the Baloch National Gathering was marked by the deaths of three demonstrators. "On July 28, paramilitary ...
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Why protest by ethnic Baloch has put Pakistan's key port of Gwadar ...
Jul 31, 2024 · ... Baloch people take part in a demonstration demanding more rights in Gwadar on Sunday, July 28, 2024 [AFP]. The ethnic Baloch allege that the ...
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'She has won our hearts and minds': can one woman unite the ...
Aug 31, 2024 · Dr Mahrang Baloch's effective and non-violent protests against Pakistan's government are rapidly gaining support.
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THE WOMEN OF THE BALOCH SPRING - iKNOW Politics
Mar 24, 2025 · On January 27, 2024 in Quetta, the leader of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), Dr Mahrang Baloch, addressed a crowd of thousands, which ...
[40]
Peaceful Protest by the Baloch Stumps Pakistan
Feb 23, 2025 · Dr. Mahrang Baloch, the BYC's leader urged religious scholars and the broader Baloch community to join, framing the struggle as a moral fight ...
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Mahrang Baloch - TIME100 Next 2024 - Time Magazine
Oct 2, 2024 · ... Mahrang's father, an activist whose body was recovered in 2011. With many of the community's men missing or dead, women like Mahrang are now ...
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BBC names Pakistan's Mahrang Baloch, Hadiqa Kiani among 100 ...
Dec 3, 2024 · The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) on Tuesday named two Pakistanis, Mahrang Baloch and Hadiqa Kiani, among a list of 100 most inspiring and influential ...
[43]
Pakistan: Mahrang Baloch confirms 2025 Nobel Peace Prize ...
Mar 7, 2025 · Her advocacy has earned her a spot on BBC's 100 Most Influential Women list and recognition from TIME magazine as one of the world's top ...
[44]
Pakistan: Human rights activist Dr Mahrang Baloch nominated for ...
Mar 7, 2025 · Dr Mahrang Baloch has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in recognition of her advocacy against human rights violations in Balochistan.
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UNPO Member Communities Nominated for the 2025 Nobel Peace ...
Mar 17, 2025 · UNPO Member Communities Nominated for the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize · Honoring Dr. Mahrang Baloch's Leadership in Championing Baloch Rights.Missing: honors | Show results with:honors
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Prominent Baluch Activist Stopped From Leaving Pakistan For U.S. ...
Oct 8, 2024 · Mahrang Baloch, a leading rights activist for the ethnic Baluch minority, was prevented from leaving Pakistan to attend a ceremony in the United States.
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BYC leader Mahrang vows to move courts against travel restrictions
Oct 9, 2024 · The rights activist on Tuesday vowed to challenge the government's decision to impose restrictions on her foreign travel in courts.
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Baloch Activist Says She Was Stopped From Travelling to US
Oct 12, 2024 · Karachi: On Monday (October 7), Dr Mahrang Baloch, a leading political activist in Balochistan, said she was barred by Pakistani authorities ...
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BYC alleges Pak intelligence agencies of harassing Mahrang ...
Apr 14, 2025 · BYC alleges Pak intelligence agencies of harassing Mahrang Baloch, other leaders ... harassment and lasted for over five hours,” the post noted.
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Pakistan must end crackdown on Baloch human rights defenders
May 27, 2025 · In the early hours of 22 March, woman human rights defenders (WHRDs), Mahrang Baloch and Beebow Baloch, were arrested from a peaceful sit-in in ...Missing: entry | Show results with:entry
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Systematic attacks and relentless crackdown on Baloch activists ...
Mar 27, 2025 · Mahrang and Bebarg remain under preventative detention under the Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance (MPO), with separate terrorism charges ...
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Pakistan: Authorities systematically target Baloch and other activists ...
Jul 28, 2025 · Regressive anti-terror law passed in Balochistan. In June, the Balochistan Assembly adopted the Anti-Terrorism (Balochistan Amendment) Act, 2025 ...
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Pakistani police charge Baloch rights activist with facilitating ...
Oct 12, 2024 · Mahrang Baloch, a prominent Baloch rights activist, accusing her of facilitating operations of Baloch separatist organizations in the country.
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Baloch human rights activist charged with terrorism - Times of India
Oct 13, 2024 · Pakistani police filed a case against human rights activist Dr Mahrang Baloch, accusing her of aiding separatist groups in Balochistan. She was ...Missing: sympathies | Show results with:sympathies
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Dr Mahrang Baloch Rejects Military Allegations, Demands Evidence
May 26, 2025 · Detained Baloch rights activist Dr Mahrang Baloch has rejected accusations made by Pakistan's military, describing them as “baseless” and part of a broader ...
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Mahrang Baloch's Nobel Claim: A Misleading Badge ... - Policy Wire
She goes out of her way to highlight tales of alleged state abuse while wiping off the victims of Baloch separatist violence. That is not neutrality; that ...
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Voices of Baloch Nationalism: A Conversation with Mahrang Baloch
Jun 13, 2024 · Under the leadership of Dr. Mahrang Baloch, they formed the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) and marched across Pakistan towards Islamabad. Upon ...
[58]
Pakistan human rights activist charged with aiding separatists - News
Oct 14, 2024 · Mahrang Baloch has been charged with aiding separatist groups in Pakistan's Balochistan province, officials revealed Saturday. The charges ...Missing: sympathies | Show results with:sympathies<|separator|>
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Mahrang Baloch and the Politics of Selective Silence in Nobel ...
Oct 8, 2025 · Mahrang Baloch's Nobel nomination exposes hypocrisy in selective activism, ignoring terror victims while promoting a one-sided peace ...
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The Silence Of Mahrang: Unveiling The Real Atrocities In Baluchistan
Jan 20, 2025 · The deafening silence of individuals like Mahrang on the atrocities perpetrated by militant organizations such as the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) and the ...
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Activist Mahrang Baloch Writes From a Pakistan Prison | TIME
Jun 10, 2025 · But we are not violent. The state is armed, powerful, and ruthless. It uses violence to silence those who ask for justice. The practices once ...
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https://time.com/7292408/mahrang-baloch-arrest-balochistan-pakistan/
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Mahrang Baloch acts as terrorist proxy: DG ISPR - ARY News
May 23, 2025 · DG ISPR said that Mahrang Baloch is a proxy for terrorists, asking the media outlets to expose her and Baloch Yakjehti Committee.
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Pakistan dismisses UN experts’ statement calling for release of Baloch activists
### Summary of Pakistan's Foreign Office Statement on UN Experts' Call for Release of Baloch Activists
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FO slams UN experts' 'selective' criticism | The Express Tribune
Mar 27, 2025 · The Foreign Office spokesperson said that the UN experts' comments lacked balance and proportionality, downplayed terrorist-inflicted civilian casualties.
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Nexus b/w Fitna-al-Hindustan, Baloch Yakjehti Committee exposed
Jul 29, 2025 · A terrorist, Suhaib Langov, killed during the Kalat operation, was included in the list of so-called missing persons of the Baloch Yakjehti ...<|control11|><|separator|>
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Pakistan Military Spokesman Labels Dr Mahrang, Baloch Groups as ...
Jun 4, 2025 · Pakistan's military spokesperson has accused Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) leader Dr Mahrang Baloch and Baloch armed groups of acting as “Indian proxies”.
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Pakistan Jails Baloch Human Rights Activist - Time Magazine
Mar 24, 2025 · Mahrang Baloch founded the Baloch Yekjehti [Solidarity] Committee to advocate for a political future grounded in recognition of human rights, ...
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Free all detained Baloch activists - Amnesty International Canada
Jul 22, 2025 · Mahrang suffered food poisoning during her detention in Hudda Jail and was denied access to a specialist doctor despite repeated requests. On ...
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https://amnesty.ca/urgent-actions/free-all-detained-baloch-activists/
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BYC criticises jail hearing of Mahrang Baloch, other group leaders
Oct 12, 2025 · Mahrang, along with other BYC members, was arrested on March 22 on allegations of “attacking” the Quetta Civil Hospital and “inciting people to ...
[72]
Pakistan: Release all detained Baloch activists - Amnesty International
Jul 15, 2025 · Pakistan: Release all detained Baloch activists. Baloch activists, including Mahrang Baloch, Bebarg Zehri, Beebow Baloch, Shah Jee Sibghat Ullah ...
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Pakistan dismisses UN experts' statement calling for release of ...
Mar 27, 2025 · Pakistan's foreign office on Wednesday dismissed a statement issued by United Nations experts demanding the release of Baloch activists arrested during a ...
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Pakistan: Mahrang Baloch's arbitrary detention highlights ongoing ...
Jul 11, 2025 · ... terrorist attack against a passenger train mounted by Baloch ... terrorism charges under the Anti-Terrorism Act and the Pakistan Penal Code.
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Pakistan: Release All Detained Baloch Activists - Amnesty UK
His family has raised serious concerns about his health under custody. On 22 March, Mahrang Baloch and Beebow Baloch were arrested during a peaceful protest in ...
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Mahrang Baloch's jail trial exposes fear of accountability - The Tribune
Oct 13, 2025 · Mahrang and her colleagues, Sibghatullah Baloch, Beebow Baloch, Beebarg Baloch, and Gulzadi Baloch, have been in custody since March 2025 after ...
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ATC grants bail to Mahrang Baloch in sedition, terrorism case - Dawn
Sep 14, 2025 · KARACHI: An anti-terrorism court on Saturday granted bail to incarcerated Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) leader Dr Mahrang Baloch in a case ...
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ATC grants another 20-day extension in Dr Mahrang's remand
Aug 2, 2025 · An anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Saturday extended the police remand of Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) leader Dr. Mahrang Baloch and five other ...
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Family of detained Baloch rights activist moves Supreme Court ...
Jun 12, 2025 · Baloch, a physician and a civil society activists, has been held at Quetta's Hudda District Jail since March 22 after she participated in ...
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2604253/pakistan
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Mohammad Jibran Nasir - Facebook
Sep 20, 2025 · Yesterday i.e. 19.09.2025 the Special Case No. 100/2025 against @MahrangBaloch_ resulting out of FIR 654/2024 PS Quaidabad was fixed for Orders ...Missing: details | Show results with:details
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PAKISTAN: RELEASE ALL DETAINED BALOCH ACTIVISTS (67.25)
Their detention is part of a larger crackdown in Balochistan province on peaceful protests and the right to freedom of expression, through the weaponization of ...Missing: response | Show results with:response
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[PDF] Pakistan must end crackdown on Baloch human rights defenders
May 27, 2025 · Family members have also repeatedly raised concerns regarding detention conditions and lack of access to adequate medical facilities. On 24 ...
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Pakistan – Arbitrary detention and threats against Balochistan ...
Apr 29, 2025 · Mahrang Baloch, who has been jailed since her arrest by Balochistan police on 22 March 2025 during a peaceful demonstration against violations ...
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Pakistan: Calling for the immediate release of Dr. Mahrang Baloch ...
The most recent update as at 5 pm Pakistan time is that Mahrang Baloch, her ... Baloch was arrested on 19 March 2025 and released two days later. On 21 ...
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Civil Society Organizations Call for the Release of Dr. Mahrang Baloch
Apr 29, 2025 · In a shocking escalation of state repression, Pakistani authorities arrested Dr. Mahrang Baloch, a leading advocate against enforced ...
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Hindus for Human Rights Condemns Detention of Mahrang Baloch ...
Mar 26, 2025 · Hindus for Human Rights calls on Pakistani authorities to immediately release Baloch human rights activists and members of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC).
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Why Pakistan is afraid of activist Mahrang Baloch - Times of India
Mar 24, 2025 · Mahrang Baloch, a medical doctor and leader of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), has been vocal about enforced disappearances and alleged ...
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BHC allows Mahrang Baloch to meet relatives in jail as Gwadar ...
Mar 25, 2025 · The situation further escalated when BYC chief organiser Mahrang was arrested in the early hours of Saturday and was booked under terror charges ...
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ICNC - Amid Violence in Pakistan, the Women-led Baloch Solidarity ...
Jun 24, 2025 · ... Mahrang was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2025. Previously, she earned a spot on the BBC's list of the 100 most influential women ...
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Mahrang's sister moves SC against her detention - Pakistan - Dawn
Jun 12, 2025 · Dr Mahrang Baloch, a leader of Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), is held at the Hudda District Prison, Quetta, pursuant to a March 22 detention ...
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BHC rejects bail plea against Dr. Mahrang's detention
Apr 16, 2025 · The Balochistan High Court (BHC) Tuesday disposed of a petition challenging the arrest of Dr. Mahrang Baloch, central organizer of Baloch Yakjehti Committee.
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Activist Mahrang Baloch responds to Pak ISPR's 'proxy of terrorists ...
Jun 6, 2025 · Let me clarify that the Baloch people are a moderate and secular nation with no affiliation with religious- based terrorism.
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Quetta ATC extends BYC chief Mahrang Baloch's physical remand ...
Sep 11, 2025 · Its chief Mahrang, along with other BYC members, was arrested on March 22 on allegations of “attacking” the Quetta Civil Hospital and “inciting ...
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Dr Mahrang Baloch among 150 booked for terrorism, rebellion, murder
Mar 24, 2025 · A case has been registered against 150 people, including the central leaders of Baloch Yakjethi Committee (BYC), Dr Mahrang Baloch, Dr Sabiha Baloch and others.
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BYC's Mahrang Baloch granted bail by Karachi ATC in 'terrorism ...
Sep 13, 2025 · Mahrang was arrested on March 22 on allegations of “attacking” the Quetta Civil Hospital and “inciting people to violence” and has been remanded ...
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Mahrang Baloch, Akhtar Mengal rebuff Pakistan government's offer
Apr 6, 2025 · Negotiations between Pakistani authorities and detained Baloch activist Dr Mahrang have failed after she rejected a conditional offer for her release.
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Pakistan targets Baloch women leaders amid widening crackdown
May 29, 2025 · Mahrang, a surgeon by profession and an activist, was detained on 22 March after she took part in a peaceful protest in Quetta, the capital of ...
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Detained Pakistan rights activist ends hunger strike - Arab News
Apr 29, 2025 · Mahrang Baloch, 32, was arrested last month on charges of terrorism, sedition and murder. Security forces are battling a growing insurgency in ...
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How Mahrang Baloch's arrest opens Pandora's box in Pakistan
Mar 30, 2025 · The arrest of Mahrang Baloch illustrates the frustrations of a weak Pakistani state. She symbolises the Baloch movement for freedom, homeland, human rights, ...