Baloch human rights activist Dr. Mahrang Baloch was reportedly stopped by Pakistani authorities from traveling to New York, where she was invited to attend the TIME Magazine gala.
Dr. Baloch was recognized for her human rights work by TIME and was included in the TIME100 Next List of the Most Influential Emerging Leaders for 2024.
In a statement posted on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Dr. Baloch condemned the actions of Pakistani authorities, stating that she was “unjustly stopped” from traveling to the U.S. for the TIME event.
“This is a clear violation of my fundamental right to freedom of movement,” she said, adding that there was “no legal or valid reason” provided for the travel ban.
Dr. Baloch asserted that the restriction reflects “the growing fear and insecurity” of the Pakistani state towards Baloch voices. She claimed the ban aimed to suppress international awareness of human rights abuses in Balochistan and silence those speaking out against them.
The activist emphasized her commitment to resisting the travel ban, describing it as part of a larger crackdown on Baloch human rights defenders and activists. “I will fight back against this unjust restriction on my rights to movement,” she declared.
Assault and Confiscation of Belongings After Karachi Airport Incident
Following the travel ban imposed on Dr. Baloch at Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport, further harassment was reported by Baloch activist Sammi Deen Baloch, who was accompanying her.
According to Ms. Baloch, both activists faced intimidation and assault by Pakistani authorities shortly after leaving the airport.
In a detailed post on X, Ms. Baloch recounted how their car was blocked by police officers and plainclothes individuals, who surrounded the vehicle and reportedly attempted to forcibly disappear the activists. After a tense standoff, they were left stranded on a deserted road.
Ms. Baloch described how male officers conducted an invasive search, using derogatory language and pulling at their clothes and shawls. Dr. Mahrang Baloch’s mobile phone, passport, and other belongings were confiscated, and their car keys were taken. The authorities also assaulted the driver before leaving the activists stranded in the middle of the night on a deserted highway.
Ms. Baloch further noted that multiple unidentified vehicles continued to follow and harass them afterward. She characterized the incident as a “deliberate attempt to harass, intimidate, and silence” their voices but asserted that they “refuse to be silenced” by what she called “sheer barbarism.”
She called on the public to condemn the incident, and warned, “If this has happened to us today, it could happen to you tomorrow,” urging collective action against such injustice.
Condemnations from Human Rights Groups and Activists
The travel ban and subsequent harassment faced by Dr. Mahrang Baloch and Sammi Deen Baloch have sparked widespread condemnation from human rights organizations and activists.
Front Line Defenders, an international human rights organization, strongly condemned the Pakistani authorities’ actions. In their statement, they criticized the government for preventing Dr. Baloch from attending the TIME gala in New York, where she was to be honored as one of TIME’s Most Influential Emerging Leaders of 2024.
They described Dr. Mahrang Baloch as a woman human rights defender who has campaigned against systemic violations, including extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, arbitrary arrests, and custodial torture faced by the Baloch people in Pakistan.
Highlighting the lack of any legal basis for preventing her from traveling, the organization labeled this as part of a “pattern of abuse against Baloch human rights defenders.”
The Human Rights Council of Balochistan (HRCB) also condemned the incident, calling the actions of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) “unlawful.” They stated that preventing Dr. Mahrang Baloch from traveling to attend the TIME100 Next Gala was a “gross violation of her right to freedom of movement” and accused the authorities of trying to suppress her global recognition.
Similarly, Paank, the human rights wing of the Baloch National Movement (BNM), criticized the travel ban as an “attempt to suppress” Mahrang Baloch’s voice and limit her global reach. They echoed HRCB’s sentiments, condemning the FIA’s intervention as unlawful and a deliberate move to obstruct her freedom.
The incident also drew criticism from notable individuals and political activists. Nida Kirmani, an academic and human rights advocate, pointed out that both Dr. Mahrang Baloch and Sammi Deen Baloch were prevented from traveling abroad due to the state’s fear of having their “abuses exposed.” She remarked that by preventing them from traveling, the state has only further demonstrated its “cowardice.”
Mohsin Dawar, a prominent Pashtun politician, expressed his disapproval on X, lamenting that Dr. Mahrang Baloch, who leads a significant movement for Baloch rights, was stopped from traveling to the TIME event. He criticized the state for continuing to “harass voices of reason and sanity.”
Broader Crackdown on Baloch Activists
The stopping of Dr. Mahrang Baloch from traveling is seen as part of a larger crackdown on Baloch political and human rights activists.
Earlier in September, award-winning Baloch rights activist and General Secretary of the Voice for Baloch Missing Persons (VBMP), Sammi Deen Baloch, faced a similar restriction when she was barred from leaving Pakistan at Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport to attend a United Nations conference.
This ongoing pattern of travel bans and restrictions on Baloch activists occurs amid heightened scrutiny of those advocating for Baloch rights. In September, Pakistani authorities added over 4,000 individuals from Balochistan to Pakistan’s Fourth Schedule—a list under the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) that imposes severe restrictions on those listed.
Individuals placed on the Fourth Schedule come from various sectors, including political workers, students, lawyers, journalists, professors, poets, writers, human rights activists, and ordinary citizens.
Being designated as “proscribed persons” subjects them to stringent limitations, such as freezing of bank accounts, travel bans, denial of passports, and restrictions on arms licenses and employment clearances.
Rights organizations and activists view the travel ban on Baloch activists and the addition of thousands of Baloch citizens to the Fourth Schedule as further attempts by the Pakistani state to silence dissent and restrict the activities of those speaking out against the treatment of the Baloch people.