Dr. Mahrang Baloch
Rights activist Dr. Mahrang Baloch faces a terrorism case in which she has been accused of inciting violence along with raising allegations against the security institutions of the state. The move has brought forth a lot of debate over the balance between activism and national security, but what larger questions of freedom of expression it throws into the air related to Pakistan?
Active as one of the most respected leaders of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee, or BYC, Dr. Baloch has been protesting against enforced disappearances in Balochistan, thus bringing local and international attention to the very real issue of missing persons. She appears on Time magazine’s “Time 100 Next” list.
However, on Tuesday, Dr. Baloch was prevented from boarding a New York-bound flight from Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport where she was to speak at a Time magazine event. She said that the FIA had barred her from traveling abroad when a valid U.S. visa and official invitation from the magazine sat in her records.
“This is yet another attempt to try and stifle my peaceful activism,” said Dr. Baloch, who was resolved to take the issue to court and challenge the travel restrictions imposed on her.
The FIR was lodged at the Quaidabad police station in Karachi on Friday on a complaint by resident Asad Ali Shams. Charges of sedition, promoting enmity between groups, defamation, and statements causing public mischief are listed among sections of the ATA 1997.
The FIR mentions that Baloch incites violence in the area, and was found to be alleged to collaborate with militant groups, including the Baloch Liberation Army, or BLA. According to Asad Ali Shams, the complainant who testified, Dr. Baloch’s purpose was to mislead the Balochistan youth against the state.
According to the FIR, the complainant is quoted as saying, “I am 100 percent sure that Mahrang Baloch is involved in anti-national activities in collaboration with BLA terrorists.”The FIR also includes nine other groups, alleged to be associated with her activism.
Dr. Baloch has outrightly rejected the accusations, saying that they are baseless and aimed at silencing her voice. Taking to social media, she stated, “The new fabricated police case against me is a clear indication of the state’s growing discomfort with my peaceful activism. My dedication to justice and human rights will not be shaken by such unconstitutional tactics.”
She further elaborated on this by stating that charges are part of a larger strategy to divert the attention of people from the issue and the failure of the state to address pressing problems in Balochistan. “These measures are not only targeting me but also seek to undermine the collective struggle of Baloch people for their rights,” Dr Baloch said.
The case against the student leader, Dr. Nishat Baloch, has attracted criticism all around just from human rights organizations and activists but also from other people who attended the press conference held at the Karachi Press Club today. She was accompanied by other rights advocates, including Human Rights Commission of Pakistan Vice Chairperson Qazi Khizar and fellow activist Sammi Deen, who was also barred recently from traveling abroad.
“It bodes ominously for a democracy when the government stops people like Dr. Mahrang Baloch from exercising their rights to freedom of speech and international travel,” Qazi Khizar said. “The government action is a portentous sign of increasing intolerance toward peaceful dissent.”
Legal questions surround the case against Dr. Baloch; the political implications are, however graver: a strategy to stifle dissent and deter the public from speaking out against state policies has been argued by critics. Charges of sedition and terrorism invoked on non-violent activists have been particularly condemned as the misuse of legal frames meant to counter real and perceived threats to national security.
The argument in favor of the government stance, however, argues that matters dealing with national security must be dealt with over and above all other issues and no one should be allowed to play with the prestige of the state name in the name of activism.
The case of Dr. Mahrang Baloch is reflective of the greater struggle of Balochistan, characterized by enforced disappearances, detentions, and clashes between security forces and militant groups, which keep changing the political contour of the region. Activists in the region frequently charge the state with harassment and repression, while the government argues that these measures were required to suppress insurgency activities.
As the case picks up steam, Dr. Mahrang Baloch continues to stand her ground regarding her commitment to fighting for the rights of the Baloch nation. “I will fight these charges in a court of law,” she vowed, asserting her determination to continue her struggle for justice and accountability in Balochistan.
This case again brings into sharp focus the balance between security measures that the state can adopt and the fundamental rights of activists. The implications are bound to be far-reaching-not just for Dr. Baloch, but for the broader civil liberties and human rights landscape in Pakistan at large.
Read About Federal Government Bans Pashtun Tahafuz Movement
To Read More: News