Quetta: People across several regions of Balochistan on Wednesday observed a shutter-down strike in protest against the life imprisonment sentences handed down to Baloch activists, including the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) leader Mahrang Baloch, describing the verdict as “unfair”.
These strikes came after a Pakistani anti-terrorism court on Monday sentenced four activists, including Mahrang Baloch, to life imprisonment in connection with a case relating to the killing of a Frontier Corps official, local media reported.
Alongside Mahrang Baloch, the court also handed life sentences to Baloch Students Organisation (BSO) Chairman Balach Qadir, central leader Abu Bakr Kalanchi, and BYC leader Sibghatullah Shah Jee.
Sharing the pictures of the complete shutdown across various parts of Balochistan on its X handle, the BYC said: “The strike reflected the collective rejection of repression, political victimisation, and the misuse of judicial processes. People from different walks of life expressed their solidarity and sent a clear message that Balochistan will continue to stand against injustice and the suppression of democratic voices.”
Condemning the verdict, the rights body further said that the state prosecution brought “baseless” charges against the leaders and that the trial lacked essential “judicial transparency”.
“The closed-door proceedings inside Quetta jail, described as a ‘faceless trial,’ are seen as a tactic by the state to silence the political voices of Balochistan. The Constitution and the law are being used to suppress political dissent rather than deliver impartial justice. The people of Balochistan reject these injustices against their leaders and stand steadfast,” it added.
Meanwhile, several leading human rights organisations condemned the ruling, describing it as an “affront to fair trial” and a “blatant miscarriage of justice”.
Reacting to the life sentences given by the Anti-Terrorism Court to Baloch activists, Amnesty International’s Acting Regional Director for South Asia, Isabelle Lassee, said, “This verdict, which is an affront to the right to a fair trial, demonstrates how Pakistan’s anti-terrorism laws are being cynically misused to silence peaceful dissent. The conviction and sentence followed an expedited secret trial conducted on jail premises, during which serious concerns were raised over international fair trial standards and due process. No direct evidence was presented linking Mahrang and Shah Jee to the alleged violence.”
The International Human Rights Foundation (IHRF) also sharply criticised the ruling, stating that “this is not justice” but a “politically motivated weaponisation of the judicial system” to silence dissent and intimidate human rights defenders.
“This verdict is a blatant miscarriage of justice and a devastating blow to the rule of law in Pakistan. Dr. Baloch, a leader of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), has been a fearless and peaceful voice for the Baloch people, courageously campaigning against enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and state repression in Balochistan. Her only crime is her dedication to exposing grave human rights violations,” it said.
(IANS)
