KARACHI: Police have booked several rights activists in an “abetting mutiny” case after they organised a rally over the weekend to express solidarity with Baloch people protesting in Islamabad against cases of enforced disappearance in Balochistan, it emerged on Monday.

The rally, which was held in front of the Karachi Press Club (KPC) on Dec 23, had condemned Islamabad police for using excessive force against peaceful Baloch protesters including women.

After the rally, the Artillery Maidan police registered a case under Sections 131 (Abetting mutiny, or attempting to seduce a soldier, sailor or airman from his duty), 153-A (Promoting enmity between different groups, etc) and 34 (common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code against several rights activities and over 200 unnamed participants of the rally.

According to the FIR, Shoaib Baloch of the Voice of Baloch Missing Persons, leaders of the Trade Union Federation — Nasir Mansoor, Saeed Baloch, Abdul Wahab Baloch, Illahi Bux Bikak — and around 240-260 others held a protest demonstration outside the KPC, where the nominated persons instigated the protesters and chanted slogans against the forces and later dispersed.

An official, who wished not to be named, said that no arrest had so far been made.

He said that a number of women also participated in the rally but the police did not name any female in the FIR.

It is learnt that bail applications on behalf of all the rights activists named in the FIR would be filed in City Courts on Tuesday (today).

Published in Dawn, December 26th, 2023