Baloch Yakjehti Committee flags 'Serious Spinal Condition' of Mahrang Baloch, demands immediate release

Quetta [Pakistan], March 1 (ANI): The Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) has expressed grave concern over the deteriorating health and continued detention of its organiser, Mahrang Baloch, describing her imprisonment as unlawful and politically motivated.
In a statement issued on X, the BYC said it has been nearly one year since Mahrang Baloch and other BYC leaders were detained under what the organisation calls "fabricated FIRs." Despite what it terms a complete absence of credible evidence, they remain incarcerated.
According to the committee, Mahrang's health has significantly worsened over the past six months. She reportedly submitted multiple written requests to the jail superintendent seeking urgent medical attention, but these appeals went unanswered. Only after her legal team approached the court was she examined by a jail doctor, who recommended several diagnostic tests. However, authorities allegedly failed to transfer her to a hospital for those examinations.
On February 18, as her condition deteriorated further, jail authorities shifted her to Sheikh Zayed Hospital for medical evaluation. An MRI of her lumbar spine revealed mild straightening of the lumbar spine likely due to muscular spasm, diffuse disc bulges at L4-L5 and L5-S1 causing anterior thecal sac indentation, mild to moderate bilateral neural foraminal narrowing with nerve root impingement, and a central annular tear at L4-L5.
The BYC further alleged that police initially withheld the MRI report from Mahrang and her legal counsel, releasing it only after ten days of sustained pressure.
Describing her spinal condition as serious and requiring rest and proper treatment, the committee criticised the court for repeatedly denying bail and prolonging trial proceedings. The BYC demanded immediate medical care for Mahrang and called for her release, along with other detained leaders, terming the situation a violation of fundamental human rights.
Mahrang Baloch is a prominent human rights activist from Pakistan's Balochistan province and one of the leading voices highlighting enforced disappearances and alleged rights violations in the region. She is associated with the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), where she has played a key organisational role in mobilising peaceful protests and awareness campaigns. (ANI)