The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), the Balochistan Bar Council, and various civil society groups have strongly condemned the Anti Terrorism Court (ATC) in Quetta for sentencing Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) activists Dr Mahrang Baloch and Sibghatullah to life imprisonment. They have called for an immediate review of the verdict.
On June 22, the ATC handed down two concurrent life sentences to Dr Mahrang and Sibghatullah, accusing them of involvement in the killing of a Frontier Corps (FC) personnel during a protest in Gwadar earlier this year. The 2024 Baloch Raji Muchi protest was organized to oppose alleged enforced disappearances and economic marginalization related to the region’s natural resources.
Judge Muhammad Ali Mubeen of ATC-I found both defendants guilty of terrorism and murder, stating that FC official Shabbir Ahmed was killed during the demonstration. The prosecution argued that the officer died after being hit by a stone thrown during the protest.
The HRCP urged the government to initiate a political dialogue in Balochistan, criticizing the state’s approach of equating fundamental rights advocacy with militancy. This, they said, has led to biased and unjust executive and judicial decisions.
Meanwhile, the Balochistan Bar Council expressed serious concerns over the sentencing, describing it as a violation of constitutional rights and fair trial standards. The Council highlighted that Dr Mahrang was denied her choice of legal representation and was compelled to accept a state-appointed lawyer, despite her objections, which the court dismissed. Furthermore, petitions for urgent hearings on constitutional grounds were rejected by the province’s highest court, resulting in a premature verdict before key legal issues could be addressed.
The Bar Council warned that such actions undermine public confidence in the judiciary and demanded a transparent judicial and constitutional review. It reaffirmed its commitment to uphold the rule of law, constitutional supremacy, and judicial independence.
Both Dr Mahrang and Sibghatullah have been in custody since March 2025 and appeared in court via video link from Quetta District Jail. Their defense lawyers plan to appeal, arguing that the leadership is being targeted for organizing peaceful protests.
The charges against Dr Mahrang relate to a March 11, 2025 insurgent attack on the Jaffar Express train that killed 26 people. Authorities claim that a crowd led by her later stormed Civil Hospital Quetta and forcibly removed the bodies of several militants from the mortuary. She was detained under the Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance on March 22, 2025, with formal charges filed under Sections 11-EE and 11-F of the Anti-Terrorism Act 1997.
Dr Mahrang, a Bolan Medical College graduate, has emerged as a prominent rights activist in Balochistan. Sibghatullah, a senior BYC organizer from Kech district, comes from a politically active family. Notably, Dr Mahrang was included in the 100 Women 2024 list and the TIME100 Next 2024 list.
Civil society representatives have also condemned the ATC’s ruling, calling for a peaceful political resolution to the ongoing issues in Balochistan.
