Baloch human rights defender Gulzadi Baloch remains in jail a month after her arrest, as Pakistani authorities extend her detention under Section 3 of the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) law for another 30 days.
Gulzadi, a member of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), was detained on 7 April in what the group described as an “abduction-style” arrest carried out by police and intelligence agencies. She was held incommunicado for several hours before being transferred to Hudda Jail in Quetta.
The BYC alleges that she was subjected to torture prior to her transfer. In a letter written from jail on 14 April and obtained by The Balochistan Post, Gulzadi detailed the abuse she endured in custody.
“They tied my hands and led me into a room,” she wrote. “There, multiple men surrounded me, shouting slurs and threats. If I flinched, a fist landed in my stomach. If I lifted my head, I was punched in the face.”
She also alleged that she was struck with rifle butts and threatened with further reprisals against her family. “In that torture cell, they threatened to disappear my entire family. ‘Your brother is next,’ they said.”
Gulzadi Baloch is one of several BYC leaders and activists currently held under the MPO. Others include Dr Mahrang Baloch, Beebow Baloch, Bibarg Baloch and ShahJi Sebghatullah. The group claims that many of them have been tortured, and that Beebow Baloch was recently transferred to Pishin following severe mistreatment.
Despite court proceedings, the detentions have repeatedly been extended. The BYC says judges have delayed verdicts and state lawyers have failed to present any evidence during multiple hearings.
Zaheer Baloch’s Health ‘Critically Unstable’
Meanwhile, the BYC also raised concern over the condition of 75-year-old Zaheer Baloch, who was arrested in Quetta on Eid al-Fitr for peacefully protesting alongside families of the forcibly disappeared.
The group said Zaheer, also detained under the MPO, has been hospitalized twice already. On Thursday night, his condition reportedly became “critically unstable” after he collapsed in jail.
Despite recommendations from jail authorities for hospital transfer, the Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner of Quetta allegedly denied permission. Zaheer remains in jail without adequate medical care.
“This is not just inhumane—it is criminal negligence,” the BYC said. “If anything happens to Zaheer Baloch, it must not be considered a natural death. The Commissioner, DC Quetta and relevant authorities will bear full responsibility.”
The BYC called on local and international human rights organizations, civil society groups and media to speak out against what it described as a “systematic campaign of repression” targeting peaceful Baloch activists.