QUETTA: The Balochistan High Court on Thursday rejected constitutional petitions seeking the release of Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) Chief Organiser Dr Mahrang Baloch and two other leaders detained under Section 3 of the Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance (MPO).

A division bench of the court, comprising Chief Justice Ejaz Ahmed Swati and Justice Muhammad Aamir Rana, announced the verdict. The court upheld an order from the home department regarding the detention of Dr Baloch and the two others under MPO, thereby dismissing the petitions that challenged the legality of their detention.

Nadia Baloch, Dr Baloch’s sister, had filed the petition in the Balochistan High Court challenging the detention of her sister and the other leaders.

Senior lawyer Senator Kamran Murtaza and Imran Baloch, representing the petitioners, argued that the detention of Dr Baloch and the two others was based on “distrust” and submitted to the court that the detention order should be declared illegal.

Advocate General Balochistan Adnan Basharat opposed the petitions. He argued that the release of the detained leaders “will cause unrest” and requested the court to reject the petitions.

Published in Dawn, May 23rd, 2025