QUETTA: Workers and supporters of Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) staged protest rallies in Quetta and some other towns and cities of the province, demanding immediate release of BYC chief organiser Dr Mahrang Baloch and other activists who according to its social media account have been on a hunger strike.

“Dr Mahrang Baloch, Gulzadi, Sabghatullah Baloch and Beebow Baloch have been on a hunger strike for the last 24 hours,” Advocate Nadia Baloch, the sister of BYC leader, said, adding that they went on hunger strike to protest against the alleged torture by of Ms Beebow and Gulzadi and shifting of the former to Pishin district jail.

She said the authorities shifted Beebow Baloch to Pishin district jail against the existing laws. She said her ailing father Ghaffar Baloch, too, had been taken in custody.

Ms Nadia claimed the authorities have planned to shift other detained BYC leaders and workers to jails in different areas.

The protesters have demanded the return of Ms Beebow to the Quetta jail and that not other detained BYC worker should be shifted to any other jail from Quetta. They have also demanded that CTD officials should not be allowed in jail at night.

Jail authorities have denied the allegations of torture and termed it a propaganda of BYC.

Meanwhile, protest rallies were taken out in Quetta from different areas of the provincial capital on Friday on the BYC. The participants of rally, including women and children, marched on the roads of Quetta city and surrounding areas.

Protests were also held in Noshki, Chagai, Kharan, Mashkail, Gwadar, Turbat, Uthal, Gadani, and other areas.

In Quetta, several rallies were organised in Hudda, Killi Qambrani, and surrounding areas, where demonstrators demanded immediate release of Dr Mahrang and other leaders of BYC. Protesters chanted slogans against the government and displayed placards.

Dr Mahrang and other BYC leaders were arrested on March 22 from their sit-in on Sariab Road under Section 3 of the Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance and since then they are still detained.

Published in Dawn, April 26th, 2025