Pakistani authorities have registered terrorism charges against Mahrang Baloch, the chief organiser of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), along with 150 others, following allegations of forcibly taking bodies from a morgue and inciting violence, as reported by Dawn.
The charges stem from an incident at Civil Hospital Quetta, where BYC members allegedly stormed the morgue and took away the bodies of five individuals killed in the Jaffar train accident. The First Information Report (FIR), filed at Sariab Police Station on March 22, cites violations under Pakistan’s Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) and Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), including:
- Terrorism, murder, and attempted murder
- Incitement to violence and rebellion
- Creating disorder and promoting racial hatred
- Property damage
The FIR also names several other BYC leaders, including Beebow Baloch, Gulzadi Satakzai, Sabiha Baloch, Sabatullah Baloch, Gulzar Dost, Riaz Gashkori, and Shali Baloch.
Authorities arrested Mahrang Baloch and 17 others on Saturday morning, placing them in Quetta District Jail under the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) Ordinance.
Another FIR, filed at Civil Lines Police Station, accuses 100 to 150 BYC supporters of:
- Storming Civil Hospital’s morgue
- Intercepting a private ambulance at Hockey Chowk
- Assaulting the driver and forcibly taking the bodies
A third FIR at Brewery Police Station charges BYC leaders and over 100 activists with:
- Blocking Quetta’s Western Bypass Road
- Chanting anti-state slogans
- Inciting public unrest
As protests grew, authorities suspended internet services in Quetta and surrounding areas for the fourth consecutive day on Sunday. Although PTCL officials later claimed that services were restored, disruptions persisted.
Meanwhile, authorities have not officially disclosed Mahrang Baloch’s arrest, confirming only that she remains in Quetta District Jail under MPO provisions.
This latest crackdown comes amid growing tensions in Balochistan, where human rights activists accuse the Pakistani state of enforced disappearances and repression of dissent.
