Nadia Baloch, sister of Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) chief organiser Dr Mahrang Baloch, on Saturday wrote a letter to Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Yahya Afridi requesting “urgent intervention” against the alleged mistreatment of her sibling and other leaders of the group in prison.
On Friday, Mahrang and other BYC leaders launched a hunger strike to protest alleged “torture” by jail staff, as well as the transfer of activist Beebow Baloch to District Jail Pishin.
“Dr Mahrang Baloch has said that the hunger strike was launched to protest the torture by CTD (Counter-Terrorism Department) officials inside the district jail and the transfer of Beebow Baloch to District Jail Pishin,” Mahrang’s lawyer Imran Baloch told Dawn.com.
According to the letter, which has been seen by Dawn.com, Nadia alleged that Mahrang “is subjected daily to mental torture and coercion to abandon her peaceful movement”.
“Upon her refusal, an attempt was made to move her to an undisclosed location, and when she resisted, she was physically assaulted by officials on 23.04.2025,” she alleged.
She also informed the CJP about the transfer of Beebow to District Jail Pishin, alleging that the activist’s whereabouts were unknown for an entire day.
“It was subsequently discovered that she had been shifted to District Jail, Pishin, under constant surveillance, including the installation of cameras compromising her privacy even within washroom areas,” Nadia alleged.
Nadia also lamented the detention of Sibghatullah Shah, Beebarg Baloch and Gulzadi Baloch and stated that the treatment of the BYC leaders violates Articles 4 (guarantee to be treated in accordance with law), 9 (protection of life and liberty) and 14 (inviolability of dignity and protection against torture) of the Constitution.
She added that Rules 939, 940 and 1065 of the Pakistan Prison Rules, 1978 were also violated.
“[The provisions] mandate the humane and impartial treatment of all detainees. These provisions place a clear duty on the superintendent to take all necessary steps to ensure the safety, dignity, and protection of prisoners under their custody.”
Nadia added that under Sections 167(5) and 167(7) of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898 (CrPC), female prisoners could not be transferred between detention facilities without court approval.
“Any attempt to remove the detainees from District Jail Quetta to another jail within the province, therefore, would constitute an arbitrary and unlawful exercise of authority,” she wrote.
“Regrettably, despite the above legal safeguards, government officials are actively pursuing such transfers. In fact, Ms Beebow Baloch has already been forcibly moved to District Jail Pishin while in custody, following the use of physical force,” Nadia alleged.
In the letter, Nadia urged the CJP to “take urgent notice of the physical and mental torture inflicted upon these detainees; prevent any further unlawful transfer or removal without due legal process; direct that their fundamental rights be fully protected in accordance with law and that their safety be ensured during their confinement”.
“This intervention is not only necessary but urgent, as the continued inaction
threatens their fundamental rights, personal safety and well-being,” Nadia wrote.
“Such an intervention would be in line with the reform efforts Your Lordship has undertaken for the betterment of prisoners.”
Mahrang and other BYC activists were arrested on March 22 for allegedly “attacking” Quetta Civil Hospital and “inciting people to violence”, a day after their members faced a police crackdown in Quetta while protesting against alleged enforced disappearances.
Her arrest under Section 3 of the Maintenance of Public Order Ordnance drew widespread condemnation from Baloch rights activists and international rights bodies.
The Balochistan National Party-Mengal started a “long march” from Wadh to Quetta on March 28 to protest the arrests of BYC leaders and activists, including Mahrang and Sammi Deen Baloch, who was released on April 1. The sit-in concluded on April 16, with the party announcing it would launch a public outreach movement instead.
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