Baloch political activist Beebow Baloch has been forcibly removed from Quetta’s Hudha Jail by Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) personnel and shifted to an undisclosed location, according to the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC). The organisation has also confirmed reports of severe torture inflicted on detained BYC leaders, including Dr Mahrang Baloch and Gulzadi Baloch.
In an official statement, BYC condemned the “brutal” treatment of its female leaders, asserting that CTD officials violently dragged Beebow Baloch out of the prison and subjected her to inhumane treatment. Beebow had been detained for over a month under the Maintenance of Public Order law (3MPO) and was denied bail by the Balochistan High Court.
Beebow Baloch was arrested on March 22, 2025, during a peaceful protest in Quetta along with prominent BYC figures Dr Mahrang Baloch, Bebarg Baloch, Gulzadi Baloch, and Shahji Sibghatullah. All were detained under 3MPO—a law widely criticised for allowing prolonged detention without trial, particularly targeting political activists in Pakistan.
Ms Baloch’s brother, Balakh Baloch, stated on X: “My sister Beebow Baloch was tortured in jail along with Dr. Mahrang and Gulzadi Baloch. She has now been forcibly taken by CTD. This cowardly state is using every tactic possible to silence Baloch voices.“
Iqra Baloch, Mahrang’s sister, said in a post on X: “I am very distressed to inform you that the Counter Terrorism Department forcibly attempted to abduct Mahrang, Beebow, and Gulzadi a short while ago from Hudda district jail. They all resisted. CTD assaulted and physically tortured Mahrang, Beebow and others. They have reportedly taken Beebow with them, while Mahrang and others resisted. We are on our way to the jail with the lawyers.”
BYC described the incident not as an isolated act but as part of what it calls “state terrorism,” aiming to suppress Baloch resistance and silence dissent. “Targeting female political activists reflects a broader policy of state repression,” the committee said, holding the state and its institutions fully responsible for Beebow Baloch’s safety.
Just a day before her “disappearance”, the government extended the 3MPO detention orders of Beebow and Dr Mahrang Baloch by another 30 days, following the court’s referral of the matter to provincial authorities.
The CTD in Balochistan is often referred to as the “B Team” of Pakistani intelligence and security forces and has been implicated in numerous cases involving enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings of already-detained individuals.
Human rights organisations, local political parties, and international observers have strongly condemned the latest developments, demanding the immediate release of Baloch political prisoners and an end to the mistreatment of detainees.
The BYC has called for the immediate recovery of Beebow Baloch and urged human rights bodies to take urgent notice of the worsening situation for political activists in Balochistan.