Quetta: A Balochistan Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) has sentenced prominent Baloch rights activist Dr. Mahrang Baloch and three other leaders of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) and Baloch Students Organization (BSO) to life imprisonment in connection with the killing of a Frontier Corps (FC) personnel during the controversial Raji Muchi gathering in Gwadar.
According to the court’s verdict, the case relates to an incident that occurred during the Raji Muchi assembly, where FC official Shabbir Baloch lost his life. Prosecutors argued that the officer was struck during an alleged stone-throwing by participants in the gathering, resulting in fatal injuries.
In addition to Dr. Mahrang Baloch, the court handed life sentences to BSO Chairman Balach Qadir, senior activist Abu Bakar Kalanchi, and BYC leader Sibghatullah Shah Jee.
Court documents reveal that proceedings were conducted inside a special court established within Quetta Jail, with authorities citing security concerns as the reason for holding the trial inside the prison facility.
The case was registered following the Raji Muchi gathering in Gwadar, a major political assembly organized by Baloch activists that drew widespread attention across Pakistan and internationally. Authorities initiated legal action against the accused after linking them to the death of the FC personnel.
As of the time of reporting, neither the defense lawyers nor the Baloch Yakjehti Committee has issued an official response to the verdict. However, BYC leaders and human rights advocates have repeatedly expressed concerns over what they describe as a lack of transparency in the judicial proceedings, raising questions about due process and the conduct of trials held within prison premises.
The verdict is expected to trigger significant reactions from political groups, civil society organizations, and international human rights observers, given Dr. Mahrang Baloch’s prominence as one of the most recognizable voices advocating for Baloch rights and against enforced disappearances in Pakistan.
Further developments and potential appeals are expected in the coming days.
