The arrest of prominent Baloch rights leader Mahrang Baloch by Pakistani authorities has sparked condemnation from human rights organizations and international figures. Mahrang, a key advocate for Baloch rights, was reportedly dragged and detained along with several others in a crackdown on protesters in Quetta on Saturday morning.
Her sister, Iqra Baloch, has voiced strong concerns over the detention, recalling painful memories of their father’s past imprisonment. “Eighteen years ago, it was my father. It is my sister today,” she wrote on social media after being denied permission to meet Mahrang at Hudda Jail. She also criticized authorities for withholding information about the arrest, stating, “10 hours, and still no information! We have not been given a copy of the FIR.”
Crackdown on Baloch Protests
Mahrang’s arrest is part of a broader clampdown on Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) activists protesting enforced disappearances and repression in Balochistan. The BYC organized a protest rally in Lasbela, condemning the state’s actions and demanding the release of detained activists. The demonstration saw significant participation from youth, women, and relatives of missing persons.
In response, the BYC announced a “peaceful resistance sit-in” on March 24 at Burari Bypass. The group vowed to continue its protests until all forcibly disappeared activists, including Bebigar Baloch and Bebo Baloch, are safely recovered. “National resistance is the guarantee of our survival, and silence against oppression is tantamount to supporting the oppressor,” the BYC stated.
The arrest has drawn strong reactions from global human rights organizations. Mary Lawlor, the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders, expressed concern over the crackdown on Baloch activists, saying, “Very concerned by reports that Mahrang Baloch and a number of other HRDs have been arrested in Balochistan following a crackdown on Baloch Yakjehti Committee protesters in Quetta.”
The incident has further intensified criticism of Pakistan’s handling of dissent in Balochistan, where activists frequently report enforced disappearances, extrajudicial detentions, and suppression of peaceful protests. With protests continuing, human rights organizations are calling for immediate transparency regarding the arrests and the release of Mahrang Baloch and other detained activists.
