Baloch activist vows to continue fight despite threats

Balochistan
Prominent Baloch human rights activist Mahrang Baloch has vowed to continue her advocacy for justice in Balochistan despite facing significant personal threats and legal challenges. As the organizer of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), Baloch has been a vocal critic of enforced disappearances, custodial killings, and human rights violations in the region.

Speaking about her experiences, Baloch shared how her activism has come at great personal cost. She recalled the forced disappearance and subsequent killing of her father by Pakistani intelligence agencies in 2009 and 2011, respectively. In 2017, her brother was also abducted, further fueling her resolve to speak out. She has become a target of harassment, facing terrorism charges and increasing restrictions on her freedom.

Baloch also revealed that after attending the World Expression Forum and PEN Norway in May 2024, she became the subject of a "coordinated propaganda campaign." In October, she was barred from flying to New York for a TIME Magazine event and placed on Pakistan's Exit Control List (ECL) and the Fourth Schedule, a local anti-terror watchlist. These actions have resulted in frozen bank accounts and restricted access to financial and employment opportunities.

Despite these challenges, Baloch emphasized that her mission to secure basic human rights in Balochistan remains unwavering. “The threats to my life are real, but our fight is for the basic right to live peacefully,” she said.