ISLAMABAD: Dr Mahrang Baloch approached the Supreme Court on Mon­­day to challenge the denial of post-arrest bail in a case registered against her under the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA), 1997.

Filed by Advocate Jibran Nasir on behalf of the Baloch Yakjehti Commit­tee’s (BYC) central organiser, the petition was moved after the Balochistan High Court (BHC) rejected her bail application on Feb 23 this year, in connection with a first information report (FIR) registered at the Counter-Terro­rism Department police station in Quetta.

The FIR was lodged on Jan 6 last year by Station House Officer Asghar Ali, alleging that Dr Mahrang, whose name was placed in the Fourth Schedule of the ATA vide a government notification dated Oct 23, 2024, remained absent from her required appearances and continued participating in public processions and sit-ins.

It further claimed that Dr Mahrang, who is currently incarcerated at the District Jail Quetta, was allegedly facilitating the proscribed Balochistan Lib­eration Army (BLA).

The case was registered under sections 11-EE [listing in the Fourth Schedule as a proscribed per­son on terrorism grounds] and 11-F(1)(2) [belonging to or supporting a proscribed organisation] of the ATA, 1997.

Dr Mahrang was initially arrested on March 22 last year and detained under the Balochistan Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) for 30 days.

This detention was successively extended for two further periods of 30 days each. Before the expiry of the third detention order, she was taken into custody in connection with another FIR.

In the present case, she was formally arrested on August 21, 2025, nearly six months after the registration of the FIR, despite already being in continuous state custody.

On June 12 last year, Dr Mahrang had moved an appeal challenging her detention under the Maintenance of Public Order and the BHC’s May 22 decision to uphold the same.

Published in Dawn, April 28th, 2026