Dr. Mahrang Baloch’s Detention Under 3MPO Challenged in Supreme Court

SHAAL (QUETTA):  The continued detention of Dr. Mahrang Baloch, leader of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), under Section 3 of the Maintenance of Public Order (3MPO) has been formally challenged in the Supreme Court of Pakistan.

The move follows the Balochistan High Court’s recent decision to uphold the government’s detention orders against several leading activists of the BYC.

The constitutional petition has been filed by Dr. Mahrang’s sister, Nadia Baloch, through prominent human rights lawyer Advocate Faisal Siddiqi. The petition calls into question the legality of Dr. Mahrang’s nearly three-month-long detention and argues that it violates fundamental rights enshrined in Pakistan’s Constitution, particularly the rights to freedom of expression, freedom of movement and a fair trial.

Dr. Mahrang Baloch, a well-known activist against enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and systemic human rights violations in Balochistan, was detained earlier this year while leading a protest movement in Quetta.

Her arrest, along with several fellow activists, has drawn strong criticism from civil society, human rights organisations and legal experts who view the action as politically motivated and unlawful.

The petition not only demands Dr. Mahrang’s immediate release but also urges the Supreme Court to take notice of the growing use of 3MPO to suppress dissent and detain political workers without due process.

Last month, the Balochistan High Court dismissed constitutional petitions filed against the detentions of BYC leaders including Dr. Mahrang Baloch, Beebow Baloch, Gulzadi Baloch, Shah Ji Sabghatullah, Beebarg Baloch, and Ghaffar Baloch. The court upheld the provincial government’s decision to continue holding them under 3MPO.

Following the High Court’s decision, legal representatives of the detained activists have now approached the Supreme Court, the last judicial avenue available to them.