Baloch leaders held beyond legal limit under colonial-era 3MPO law, violating Pakistan's own Constitution

Churashar (Balochistan) [Pakistan], June 25 (ANI): The Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) condemned the continued detention of its central leadership under the Maintenance of Public Order (3MPO) law, calling it a blatant violation of Pakistan's own constitution.

In a video message on 'X' released on Wednesday, Sabiha Baloch, a central leader of the BYC, said that despite the completion of the three-month detention period on June 22, the leaders remain imprisoned without due legal process.

"According to Pakistan's Constitution, anyone detained under the 3MPO must be presented before a Review Board after 90 days for a personal hearing. That hasn't happened. There's no bench, no justification, no legal process, just silence," she explained.

The BYC leaders, including Maharaj Baloch, Shahji Baloch, Biberk Baloch, Gulzadi Baloch, and Bibhu Baloch, were arrested in March under charges the group describes as politically motivated.

BYC contends that even the initial arrest process lacked legality, with no proper notice or explanation given.

"We've taken the matter to both the High Court and the Supreme Court," Sabiha stated, "yet our comrades are still locked away under a law that dates back to colonial times, used now to crush voices of dissent."

She appealed to journalists, lawyers, human rights defenders, and students to speak out against what she called the unlawful use of 3MPO to target peaceful political activists.

The BYC leader further emphasised that this is part of a broader campaign to suppress Baloch political mobilisation and silence those demanding constitutional rights and dignity.

"We demand the immediate release of our comrades. This silence is not law, it is repression," she concluded. (ANI)

(The story has come from a syndicated feed and has not been edited by the Tribune Staff.)