Leading Baloch rights activist arrested in Pakistan: Police
What's the story
Mahrang Baloch, a leading voice for human rights in Pakistan, was arrested on Saturday. She was picked up from a sit-in protest in southwestern Balochistan where three protesters were killed. The demonstrators had assembled outside the University of Balochistan on Friday, demanding the release of their supporting group members who they say have been picked up by security agencies.
Activism
Baloch's long-standing advocacy for minority rights
Baloch has been a vocal proponent of the rights of the Baloch ethnic group of southwestern Pakistan, who have accused Islamabad of extrajudicial harassment, arrests, and killings. On the other hand, the Pakistani government insists its forces are fighting separatist militants who attack state forces and foreign nationals in the mineral-rich province bordering Afghanistan and Iran.
Detentions
Arrests made during protest
A senior police official confirmed to AFP that Baloch was one of 18 protesters detained, including 10 men and seven women. "It is currently being assessed what charges should be filed against them," the official added. The Baloch Yakjehti Committee, a support group with which Baloch is prominently associated, said she was detained along with other protesters in a "brutal pre-dawn crackdown by state security forces."
Call for action
Human Rights Commission demands end to force
The Independent Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has released a statement calling for an immediate end to the use of force against peaceful protesters and the release of those arbitrarily detained. The HRCP also demanded an immediate halt to disproportionate and unlawful kinetic means by the state, calling for a purposeful political solution.
Early activism
Baloch's journey as an activist
Baloch was stopped from visiting the US last year for a TIME magazine awards gala after being named on the 2024 TIME100 Next list of "rising leaders." Her journey as an activist began at 16 in 2009 when her father went missing in an alleged "enforced disappearance." His body was recovered two years later. Women have been at the forefront of protests and advocacy among the Baloch, saying their menfolk have suffered the most in a decades-long state crackdown.