Pakistan: Rights Body Condemns Judicial Delay In Bail Verdict For Mahrang Baloch, Other BYC Leaders

(MENAFN- IANS) Quetta, Feb 13 (IANS) The human rights body Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) expressed serious concerns over the independence of the legal process and judicial delay by a Pakistani court in reserved bail matters involving its chief organiser, Mahrang Baloch and other leaders.

According to the rights body, Balochistan's High Court heard the bail applications of Mahrang Baloch and other BYC leaders on December 17, 2025. The defence, it said, completed its arguments, while the prosecution failed to present any concrete evidence or factual material to justify continued detention.

The court reserved its judgement, yet after nearly three months, no decision has been announced. In Pakistan, the BYC said, judgements in reserved bail matters are normally delivered within days or weeks.

“This delay is not a procedural technicality. It affects fundamental rights, personal liberty, and public trust in the judiciary. When peaceful political activists remain in detention without evidence and without timely judicial decisions, it strengthens the perception that legal institutions are being used to suppress dissent," the BYC stated.

“The judiciary must act transparently, independently, and without fear or favour. The people of Balochistan and all citizens who believe in constitutional rights deserve a clear and timely decision,” it added.

Last month, a Pakistani court acquitted BYC Deputy Organiser Lala Abdul Wahab Baloch and 11 other activists, a development which the BYC described as a legal relief after a“prolonged and politically motivated trial”.

According to the BYC, Civil Judge and Judicial Magistrate Naim Akhtar of the Karachi City Court ordered the acquittal after the prosecution failed to substantiate the charges. Those acquitted include Sarfraz Baloch, Zain Baloch, Aftab Baloch, Qazi Amanullah, Murad Baloch, Waheed Baloch, Ahmed Nisar, Ehsan Hameed, Sajid Baloch, Aamir Baloch, and Ahsan Faraz Baloch.

The BYC alleged that despite the acquittal in the same case, several other BYC leaders, including its chief organiser, Mahrang Baloch, remain incarcerated.

“The judiciary continues to exercise its authority in a manner that keeps these leaders detained, raising serious concerns about justice, prolonged incarceration, and the use of legal processes to suppress political dissent,” the BYC stated.

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