- Dr Mahrang Baloch was sentenced to life imprisonment by an anti-terrorism court.
- The activist led major campaigns regarding enforced disappearances in Balochistan province.
- Her family intends to challenge the conviction in higher Pakistani courts.
An anti-terrorism court handed down life sentences to Dr Mahrang Baloch and Sibghatullah Shah. They were convicted of sedition, murder and terrorism following a 2024 protest in Gwadar where a soldier died. The convicted pair deny all charges and are expected to file appeals.
Nadia Baloch who is part of the legal team, stated that the trial was not transparent. She noted that state lawyers were assigned and witness details were withheld. The family remains defiant against the ruling despite the severity of the prison term.
Court sentences Mahrang Baloch to life in prison
The activist’s drive stems from the 2009 disappearance of her father, Abdul Ghaffar Langove. His body was recovered three years later in Lasbela district. « When my father’s body arrived he was wearing the same clothes, now torn. He had been badly tortured, » she recounted.
This personal trauma led her to lead the Baloch Yakjehti Committee. She campaigned for missing persons across the province and organised a 1,600km march to Islamabad. She has been recognised as a changemaker by TIME and the BBC.
Rights groups claim thousands of ethnic Baloch have been abducted by security forces. The state denies this, suggesting some joined militants or fled. Disappearances are seen as a state strategy to crush the long-running separatist insurgency.
State strategy fuels resistance in resource rich Balochistan
Balochistan covers 44% of Pakistan and holds vast gold and copper deposits. However infrastructure is poor and access is restricted. Militant groups like the BLA have intensified attacks, which the govt uses to justify crackdowns.
Sarfraz Bugti, the chief minister, dismissed claims of systematic abductions as propaganda. He questioned how one proves intelligence agency involvement. Data on disappearances remains highly contested between the government and local activists.
Mahrang was arrested in March 2025 during a protest over 13 unclaimed bodies in Quetta. She argued that « dumping bodies will end this » is a fallacy. The struggle for institutional reform continues despite the life sentence.
