Mahrang Baloch rejects Pakistan's BYC allegations as 'baseless' from jail
Synopsis
From inside Quetta's Central Jail Huda, Mahrang Baloch has issued a point-by-point rejection of Pakistani state allegations against the BYC — framing them as organised propaganda designed to criminalise peaceful dissent. With her detention entering its fourth month and no credible charges publicly established, the statement is a direct challenge to Islamabad's narrative on Balochistan.
Key Takeaways
Mahrang Baloch , chief organiser of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) , rejected Pakistani authorities' allegations as 'baseless' in a statement on 5 June .
She has been held at Central Jail Huda, Quetta since March 2025 , with rights groups calling the charges politically motivated.
The BYC's stated demands include an end to enforced disappearances, extrajudicial arrests, and recognition of Baloch constitutional rights.
Mahrang alleged that state institutions fabricate propaganda against the BYC following armed group activity in Balochistan.
She called on international human rights organisations and journalists to conduct an independent review of ground realities in Balochistan.
Human rights activist and chief organiser of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), Mahrang Baloch, has flatly rejected allegations levelled against her, her colleagues, and the organisation by Pakistani authorities, calling them 'baseless' and part of a coordinated campaign to suppress peaceful political dissent in Balochistan. The statement was issued from Central Jail Huda in Quetta and posted on BYC's official X account on Friday, 5 June.
The Allegations and Mahrang's Response
In her statement, Mahrang said, 'These allegations are being used to create an atmosphere where political dissent is branded as a crime and demands for human rights are labelled as enmity against the state.' She described the BYC as a 'public, unarmed, and peaceful platform' since its founding, insisting the organisation has consistently pursued basic rights, justice, and human dignity for the people of Balochistan through non-violent means.
Mahrang has been held at Central Jail Huda in Quetta since March 2025 — a detention that has drawn condemnation from human rights defenders globally, who allege the charges are 'false and politically motivated.'
Key Demands of the BYC
Mahrang outlined the BYC's core demands in her statement: an end to enforced disappearances, a halt to extrajudicial arrests, guaranteed freedom of expression, recognition of Baloch people's rights over Balochistan's natural resources, and the granting of constitutional and historical rights to the region's population. 'Unfortunately, instead of addressing these demands, state elements are attempting to discredit the public movement through false allegations, character assassination, and propaganda,' she alleged.
Allegations of State Propaganda
Mahrang further alleged that Pakistani security forces have continuously harassed Baloch political activists and human rights defenders without producing credible evidence. She claimed that following armed group activity in Balochistan, state institutions resort to fabricating propaganda campaigns against the BYC. 'Using the resources of the Baloch people, this propaganda is published in print and social media,' she alleged.
This comes amid long-standing international concern over enforced disappearances and the treatment of civil society voices in Balochistan — a pattern that rights organisations have documented for over two decades.
Call for International Scrutiny
Mahrang appealed to international human rights organisations, journalists, and advocacy groups to independently examine the ground realities in Balochistan and scrutinise what she described as an 'organised narrative' against the BYC. 'We will not accept any attempt to discredit Baloch political activists, human rights workers, and the peaceful struggle of the BYC through false allegations and propaganda,' she stressed.
The BYC has not indicated when Mahrang's detention is expected to be reviewed, and Pakistani authorities have not publicly responded to her latest statement.
Point of View
Directly contesting the Pakistani state's narrative before an international audience. What is notable is the absence of any credible public evidence from Pakistani authorities to substantiate their allegations, a gap that rights organisations have consistently flagged. Balochistan's enforced disappearances crisis has been documented for over two decades; the BYC's rise represents a shift toward organised, non-violent accountability demands rather than armed resistance. The real question is whether international pressure — which Mahrang is explicitly soliciting — can move the needle on a state that has historically treated Baloch civil society as a security threat rather than a legitimate political actor.
NationPress
21 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Mahrang Baloch and what is the BYC?
Mahrang Baloch is a prominent human rights activist and the chief organiser of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), a civil society platform in Balochistan, Pakistan. The BYC describes itself as a public, unarmed, and peaceful organisation that advocates for the rights, justice, and human dignity of the Baloch people.
Why is Mahrang Baloch in jail?
Mahrang Baloch has been held at Central Jail Huda in Quetta since March 2025. Human rights defenders allege the charges against her are false and politically motivated, though Pakistani authorities have not publicly detailed the specific charges in her latest statement's context.
What are the BYC's core demands?
The BYC demands an end to enforced disappearances and extrajudicial arrests, guaranteed freedom of expression, recognition of Baloch rights over the region's natural resources, and the granting of constitutional and historical rights to the people of Balochistan.
What does Mahrang Baloch allege about the Pakistani state?
She alleges that following armed group activity in Balochistan, Pakistani state institutions fabricate propaganda campaigns against the BYC and disseminate them through print and social media using public resources. She describes this as an organised effort to discredit peaceful political dissent.
What has Mahrang Baloch asked the international community to do?
She has called on international human rights organisations, journalists, and advocacy groups to independently examine the ground realities in Balochistan and scrutinise what she terms an organised narrative against the BYC and its leaders.
