Mahrang Baloch, human rights activist and chief organiser of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), has accused the judiciary in Pakistan's Balochistan province of acting as an accomplice to state institutions and systematically undermining the principles of justice. The statement, issued from Huda Jail in Quetta on 13 September 2026 and posted on BYC's official account on X, represents one of the most direct public indictments of the Balochistan judiciary by a sitting detainee.

The Allegations Against the Balochistan Bench

Mahrang directly named Chief Justice of Balochistan Kamran Mulakhail, alleging he is personally supervising all BYC-related cases. She further alleged that under his leadership, Justice Muhammad Ali Mubeen, Justice Qadir Shah Bukhari, and other judges hearing BYC cases across the province have been tasked with delivering verdicts on state directives.

'In such circumstances, the judiciary's impartiality and independence have come to an end,' she stated, according to the post. She added that the court has 'completely lost its influence and the trust of the people.'

The Case of Gulzadi Baloch

Mahrang cited the case of BYC leader Gulzadi Baloch as a concrete example of what she described as judicial misconduct. She alleged that the presiding judge had on multiple occasions admitted to being 'under pressure' and receiving instructions to impose punishment — claims that, if substantiated, would constitute a grave breach of judicial independence.

She noted that on 7 September, court proceedings in Gulzadi Baloch's case continued despite a strike and the absence of the defence counsel, with cross-examination of a witness carried out without legal representation present. This, Mahrang argued, violates the fundamental right to a fair trial.

Denial of Right to Defence

According to Mahrang, government-appointed lawyers were assigned to BYC members without their consent and were reportedly provided with logistical privileges including travel to Islamabad, while the accused were allegedly denied their own choice of legal representation. 'Is this the justice of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, where courts are playing the role of pronouncing decisions predetermined by state institutions instead of independent judgments?' she questioned.

She also stated that the BYC had boycotted 20 hearings between 13 June and 10 September in protest against what it described as 'faceless trials.'

Bail Delays and Petition Stalling

Mahrang further alleged that Chief Justice Mulakhail has repeatedly delisted bail applications over the past six months without hearing them. A petition filed before the Balochistan High Court seeking protection of their right to defence has also been continuously delayed, she claimed. 'Punishing a person through the judicial process itself and continuously delaying matters of bail is contrary to the basic principles of justice,' she said.

Call for International and Domestic Intervention

The activist appealed to the Supreme Court of Pakistan and international human rights institutions to take immediate notice of the alleged judicial bias, the denial of right to defence, and the prolonged delays in justice in BYC cases. She urged transparent and impartial investigations into the matter. This comes amid a wider pattern of documented concerns about enforced disappearances, extrajudicial detentions, and press freedom in Balochistan, which international rights bodies have flagged repeatedly over the past decade.