QUETTA: Baloch Yakjehti Committee’s (BYC) Mahrang Baloch along with five others, who had been detained under the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) Ordinance for over three months, were remanded to police custody on Tuesday for a period of 10 days.

Amid tight security, they were brought from Quetta jail and produced before Judge Saadat Bazai of the Anti-Terrorism Court-I.

According to police, they were arrested in two cases registered against them at the Civil Lines and Brewery Road police stations.

Sibghatullah Shah, Beebow Baloch, Bibi Gulzadi, Bebarg Baloch and National Party leader Ghaffar Baloch were among the other BYC leaders produced before the ATC.

Like other male activists of the BYC, Bebarg Baloch was also handcuffed, even though he was in a wheelchair. The judge expressed his dismay when Mahrang Baloch drew his attention towards the act. He directed the police to ensure that Bebarg is produced before court without handcuffs.

Advocate Nadia Baloch, Dr Mahrang’s sister, later told the media that showing the arrest of BYC leaders in different cases after keeping them in jail for months under Section 3 of MPO ordinance was not just a violation of the law, but also evidence of government’s ill-intent.

She said that when she requested the court to order release of NP leader Ghaffar Baloch, since his name was not in the FIR, the Brewery Road police claimed the suspects whose names were not mentioned in the FIR were named in other cases.

The court, after hearing arguments from both sides, granted the police 10-day remand of all six people.

However, instead of being sent to Civil Lines police station, all the six BYC leaders were shifted to Cantt police station, she added.

Published in Dawn, July 9th, 2025