Civil society pens open letter to PM seeking release of Mahrang, Sammi, other BYC leaders

Over 100 prominent academics and civil society leaders have written an open letter to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif seeking the release of incarcerated Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) leaders Dr Mahrang Baloch, Sammi Deen Baloch and others.

Last Friday, the police used tear gas and water cannons and fired blank shots to disperse BYC protesters, who had staged a sit-in on the Sariab Road near the University of Balochistan, against alleged enforced disappearances, including its leader Bebarg Baloch. The provincial government and the BYC had reported casualties on their respective sides as a result of each other’s actions.

The situation further escalated when BYC chief organiser Mahrang was arrested in the early hours of Saturday and was booked under terror charges along with 150 others. Responding to BYC’s call, shutter-down strikes were staged over the weekend in various cities of Balochistan — including Quetta, Panjgur, Kalat, Turbat, Mastung, Kharan, Chaghi, Dalbandin and Dhadar.

Police also detained BYC leader Sammi under the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) ordinance in Karachi on Tuesday, shortly after a judicial magistrate ordered her release, along with four other activists in a case related to the violation of Section 144.

“We, the undersigned citizens of Pakistan, urge you to take immediate action to release leader Mahrang Baloch, Sammi Baloch, and other detained leaders of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) before Eid so they can spend it with their loved ones,” read the letter, a copy of which is available with Dawn.com.

“Their arrests are a blatant attempt to silence voices advocating for an end to enforced disappearances and for fundamental rights and justice for the people of Balochistan,” the letter continued.

The letter expressed alarm at the treatment of women activists at the hands of law enforcement agencies and denounces the deployment of “excessive force” against peaceful protesters.

The signatories are prominent educationists, politicians, journalists and human rights activists including senior journalist Hamid Mir, former senator Afrasiab Khattak, Human Rights Watch Senior Counsel Asia Division Saroop Ijaz and president of the human rights cell of PPP Farhatullah Babar.

The demands of the signatories include the immediate release of detained BYC leaders, an end to enforced disappearances, the initiation of a meaningful political dialogue with the Baloch people, and to investigate into the alleged police brutality against the activists by conducting an independent investigation.

The letter also condemned the “unconstitutional re-arrest of BYC leaders”, including women activists, adding that “the MPO is being abused in clear violation of due process to detain activists after courts have granted them bail”.

“The ongoing crackdown on peaceful protests, enforced disappearances, and extrajudicial killings in Balochistan have created a climate of fear and repression,” the letter read.

“The situation in Balochistan is dire, and denying a political dialogue will only deepen the crisis.”

The letter alleged that the actions of the government’s security agencies in Balochistan are raising serious concerns about human rights violations, adding that “by denying people the right to protest freely, the government is violating the UN’s International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which guarantees the right to freedom of assembly and association”.

Speaking to Dawn.com regarding the letter, journalist and one of the signatories Munizae Jahangir said, “We are writing this letter just before Eid as these women would like to spend time with their children. Some humanity has to prevail in this situation.

“We also believe that this crisis can escalate, and steps need to be taken to avert this possibility,” she said, adding that the state should be seen to be siding with marginalised communities.

“We appeal to the prime minister for sanity to prevail and since he is a political leader and not a military dictator, [he should] use the political good will that he has to initiate a dialogue not only with the provincial assembly members but the leaders outside the assembly as well like Akhtar Mengal and Dr Abdul Malik Baloch,” she concluded.

As Balochistan grapples with a relentless wave of deadly attacks on security forces and civilians, the provincial government on Friday indicated its readiness to work with the opposition to confront the spiraling violence and address the province’s mounting security challenges.

“Our doors are always open for dialogue in the interest of Balochistan, as the government is committed to resolving the issue through meaningful talks,” spokesman for the Balochistan government Shahid Rind said while speaking at a press conference alongside provincial ministers.

He said the chief minister is committed to resolving issues through dialogue and has extended an offer to the opposition to work together in addressing the province’s challenges. “The provincial government is in contact with opposition parties and their leaders in this regard,” he added.

On Thursday, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan in collaboration with the civil society, including human rights defenders, labour rights activists, political activists, the academia and lawyers, also demanded an unconditional release of Mahrang, Sammi and all those detained after the recent protests.

On the same day, international human rights organisation Amnesty International observed in a statement that the “relentless crackdown on Baloch activists over the last week and continued detention of several protesters — including Mahrang, Sammi, and Bebarg — signified a “systematic attack” on the rights of the Baloch community and should be stopped.