Life Sentences for Baloch Activists in Pakistan Over Soldier’s Death
QUETTA, Pakistan (AP) — An anti-terrorism court has handed life sentences to two leaders of a Baloch human rights organization following the fatality of a paramilitary soldier during a demonstration in 2024.
The activists, Mahrang Baloch and Sibghatullah Shah, who lead the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), were found guilty of terrorism, sedition, and murder. They were charged in connection with the death of Shabbir Baloch, which occurred during a BYC-organized protest in Gwadar, Balochistan. Authorities claim the BYC is linked to a banned militant organization.
Prosecutors argued that the activists incited a crowd that attacked a security vehicle, captured the soldier, and fatally assaulted him using sticks and bricks. A police investigation indicated that the two were instrumental in rallying the protestors, which took place without the district administration’s authorization. The incident drew widespread condemnation throughout the nation.
Mahrang and Shah have refuted the accusations against them.
In an interview with The Associated Press, Shahid Rind, spokesperson for Balochistan’s provincial government, emphasized that the case centered on the soldier’s murder rather than political activism or dissent. “This was not a case concerning political opinion, peaceful dissent or the right to protest. It concerned the murder of a soldier,” he stated. Rind also noted that the defendants are entitled to appeal the court’s decision.
Balochistan’s Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti praised the sentence, highlighting it as a testament to the rule of law and justice for the deceased soldier. On X, Bugti remarked that individuals targeting state officials under the pretense of peaceful protest would face justice.
Initially held in Gwadar, the trial was transferred to a high-security prison in Quetta due to safety concerns. Prosecutors reported disruptions by BYC supporters outside the courthouse and claimed attempts to intimidate witnesses. Consequently, the proceedings were moved, and testimonies were delivered via video link.
The Pakistani government has long accused the BYC of acting as a facade for the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), a separatist faction responsible for numerous deadly attacks, including those on public transport, security forces, and miners. The BLA was labeled a terrorist organization by Pakistan in 2006 and by the U.S. in 2025.
The BYC has consistently denied these claims, asserting its role as a non-violent rights group.
Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest province, shares borders with Afghanistan and Iran and is rich in natural resources such as oil, gas, and minerals. The region has been embroiled in a longstanding separatist insurgency, with demands for independence or increased control over local resources. Despite governmental claims of subduing the insurgency, violence persists, with Pakistani Taliban militants and other armed groups also active in the area.
