Balochistan: Protest rallies held against Mahal Baloch’s arrest

QUETTA: Baloch students and social and human rights activists held rallies in Balochistan’s district Kech and also in Karachi against the arrest of Mahal Baloch from Quetta on February 17.

A large number of women, students and citizens took out a protest rally from Atta Shad Degree College Turbat to Fida Shaheed Chowk in Tehsil Turbat of Ketch district in Balochistan on Monday.

The participants carried placards and photographs of Mahal Baloch, who has been arrested from the Satellite Town area of Quetta – the capital of Pakistan-Occupied Balochistan.

The protesters condemned the registration of false cases against Mahal, saying that earlier CTD had named people in many such cases but they were proved to be trumped-up charges.

The participants of the rally said that the Pakistani forces “Counter-Terrorism Department” had previously abducted Baloch women Noor Jan and Habbaba Pir Jan from their homes and filed false cases which were later proved to be fabricated.

The Kech Bar Association has boycotted the courts today and lawyers affiliated with the Association have not attended any court hearing.

On the other hand, Baloch Solidarity Committee Karachi held a protest in front of the Karachi Press Club where members of various political organizations, social activists and human rights participated.

Protests are continuing in different areas of Balochistan against the enforced disappearance of and subsequent arrests of Mahal Baloch in various cases. The Baloch Solidarity Committee has also announced to protest in Islamabad tomorrow.

The mother-in-law of Mahal Baloch explaining the incident said that Pakistani forces locked us in one room during the raid on our house, while Mahal was kept in another room and subjected to torture. She made these remarks during a sit-in protest in Quetta.

Various students and political organizations have called for protests against the illegal arrest of Mahal Baloch in other cities of Pakistan and Balochistan.

The protesters urged the Pakistani forces to abandon the collective punishment of Baloch civilians, especially, Baloch women in its latest waves of offensives and enforced disappearance in Balochistan.