ATC Quetta extends physical remand of Mahrang Baloch, other BYC activists

F.P. Report

QUETTA: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Quetta on Friday extended physical remand of Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) chief Dr Mahrang Baloch and other group organisers into police custody by 15 days.

An FIR registered at Saryab Police Station cited violations of Sections 7 and 11W of the Anti-Terrorism Act, along with 16 sections of the Pakistan Penal Code.

These charges cover terrorism, murder, attempted murder, incitement to violence and rebellion, creating disorder, promoting racial hatred and damaging property. Mahrang, along with 17 others, was arrested and is currently being held at the Quetta District Jail under Section 3 of the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) Ordinance.

The case accused Mahrang and the BYC leadership of assisting rioters in shooting police officers, passersby, civilians, and their protesting colleagues, which resulted in the deaths of three individuals and left 15 police officers injured.

The group is also facing charges for their involvement in a chaotic attack on the Civil Hospital and forcibly taking the bodies of attackers from the Jaffer Express train bombing.

The FIR related to the Civil Hospital incident, which was lodged at the Civil Lines Police Station in Quetta in March, states that 100 to 150 people had stormed the medical facility and forcibly took the bodies of attackers involved in the Jaffer Express train attack from the hospital’s morgue upon the instigation of the BYC leadership.

On July 8, a Quetta ATC handed Mahrang and other activists into police custody for 10 days, extending their three-month detention. During today’s hearing, the six activists — including Gulzadi, Beebow Baloch, Sibghatullah Shahji, Ghaffar Baloch, and Beberg Baloch — were presented before ATC Judge?Muhammad?Ali?Mubeen. On the request of the police, the judge handed Mahrang and other activists into police custody on a further 15-day remand.

The BYC organisers are now set to remain in custody until early August. Earlier in March, over 100 civil society members called on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to take immediate action for the release of detained BYC leaders.