ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court has commuted the death sentence of Frontier Corps (FC) Balochistan soldier Shadiullah, convicted of killing Karachi University student Hayat Mirza Baloch in Turbat, to life imprisonment, reigniting questions over the justice system’s ability to hold state forces accountable.
The verdict, delivered five years after the 2020 incident that sparked widespread outrage across Balochistan, stated that while the evidence was “undeniable,” doubts remained regarding intent.” The three-member bench included Justices Athar Minallah, Irfan Saadat Khan, and Malik Shahzad Ahmad Khan, with Justice Minallah issuing a strong dissent against leniency in such cases.
Justice Minallah described extra-judicial killings and custodial torture as the “worst form of violation” of the Constitution, stressing that “no leniency ought to be shown” in heinous crimes. He warned that impunity for law enforcers erodes the rule of law and public trust in the judiciary.
According to eyewitnesses, on August 13, 2020, Hayat Baloch was working with his parents in a date orchard in Turbat’s Absar area when a roadside blast occurred near an FC patrol. Minutes later, FC personnel detained several civilians, including Hayat. Witnesses say soldier Shadiullah tied Hayat’s hands, forced him to the ground, and shot him eight times in front of his elderly parents, who screamed that their son was innocent.
Images and videos from the scene went viral, triggering protests and international condemnation.
Journalist Hamid Mir wrote on X (formerly Twitter) that “the Supreme Court has converted the death sentence of the FC soldier who shot the innocent Hayat Baloch eight times before his parents into life imprisonment,” calling it another painful reminder of the impunity enjoyed by state institutions.
While the court acknowledged the brutality of the act, its final decision, citing “doubt about intent”, has deepened public disillusionment, leaving many to believe that even the highest court remains powerless to deliver justice against those in uniform.
