Daily Times

The Balochistan High Court (BHC) on Tuesday allowed imprisoned Dr Mahrang Baloch to meet with her relatives after the Balochistan National Party-Mengal held strikes and issued a call to support the recent protests by the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) against a police crackdown and arrests of its leaders.

On Friday evening, the police used tear gas and water cannons, and fired blank shots to disperse BYC protesters, who had staged a sit-in on the Sariab Road near the University of Balochistan, against alleged enforced disappearances.

The provincial government and the BYC had reported casualties on their sides as a result of each other’s actions, with the activist group claiming three dead and 13 others suffering injuries and the police saying around 10 of their personnel were hurt.

The situation further escalated when BYC chief organiser Mahrang was arrested in the early hours of Saturday and was booked under terror charges along with 150 others. Responding to BYC’s call, shutter-down strikes were staged over the weekend in various cities of Balochistan – including Quetta, Panjgur, Kalat, Turbat, Mastung, Kharan, Chaghi, Dalbandin and Dhadar.

A two-member BHC comprising Justices Rozi Khan Barrech and Shaukat Ali Rakhshani presided over a hearing on a petition by Mahrang’s sister Nadia Baloch against the imprisonment and mentioning various state officials and authorities as respondents.

Petitioner’s counsel Imran Baloch requested the court to issue a directive to the government to provide details of the cases against Mahrang.

The bench accepted the petition for hearing and issued notices to the parties. It also allowed one week’s time to provide details of the cases at the request of the Balochistan advocate general and prosecutor general.

The short order said the petitioner’s counsel had contended that Mahrang was arrested under Section 3 of the Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance “without any reasoning,” which was a violation of constitutional articles 15, 16 and 19.

“Point needs consideration,” the order said.

“After admission of the petition, petitioner’s counsel filed an application with a request therein that the relatives of the detenue and her counsel may be allowed to meet her at District Jail Hudda Quetta. It is worthwhile to mention here that it is the right of every prisoner to meet with his/her counsel or relatives. Therefore, the application is accepted and the detenue’s counsel and her relatives are allowed to meet her,” it added.

Meanwhile, all businesses, banks, shops and petrol pumps in Gwadar were closed to protest against the arrests and cases registered against all BYC women leaders, including Dr Mahrang, Bebo Baloch and Sammi Deen Baloch.

A similar situation was witnessed in Ormara, a city 270 kilometres away from Gwadar, where a complete shutter-down strike by the traders’ association was under way. Shops were also closed in Pasni, another coastal town 142km from Gwadar.

Separately, BNP-M president Sardar Akhtar Mengal announced a long march on March 28 against the arrest of BYC leaders.