Balochistan: Karachi ATC Acquits Dr. Mahrang Baloch in Sedition and Terrorism Case
KARACHI: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Karachi on Wednesday acquitted Dr. Mahrang Baloch, a prominent leader of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), in a case accusing her of sedition and inciting public disorder.
The charges stemmed from an FIR registered in October 2024 that alleged she had provoked the public by levelling accusations against security agencies.
The case was filed on October 11, 2024, at the Quaidabad Police Station in the city’s Malir district under sections related to terrorism. Prosecutors had claimed that Baloch had engaged in activities aimed at “inciting people by accusing security institutions.”
ATC Judge Ayaz Mustafa Jokhio announced the verdict after hearing an acquittal plea submitted by her counsel, human rights lawyer Jibran Nasir.
In a written order, the judge stated that there was no likelihood of the accused being involved in an offence or being convicted, and therefore ordered her acquittal under Section 265-K of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC). The provision allows courts to acquit an accused at any stage of proceedings if evidence appears insufficient.
Baloch appeared before the court via video link from Quetta Jail, where she has been held since her arrest in March this year. Despite the acquittal in the Karachi case, she will not be released yet, as multiple other cases against her remain pending.
In his judgment, Judge Jokhio noted significant gaps in the prosecution’s case. He pointed out that the complainant had failed to provide any independent witnesses, while the five witnesses listed in the charge sheet, mostly police personnel, had no direct knowledge of the alleged incident.
The court highlighted that Section 265-K is intended to prevent the waste of judicial resources on cases supported by weak, insufficient or inadmissible evidence. Judge Jokhio added that the authority to acquit under this section may be exercised even before charges are formally framed.
Reacting to the development, Dr. Mahrang Baloch dismissed the case as “fabricated,” saying it reflected “how insecure and unsettled the state has become over her activities.”
