BYC leader Sammi Deen Baloch released; calls grow for freedom of other detainees

Karachi [Pakistan], April 2 (ANI): Sammi Deen Baloch, a key leader of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), has been released after being detained under the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) Act, The Balochistan Post reported.
Her sister, Mehlab Baloch, confirmed the news, expressing relief and gratitude. "My sister, Sammi Deen, has finally been released," she said. She thanked Advocate Jibran Nasir, human rights activists, civil society members, and all those who supported their struggle for justice.
Sammi Deen's legal representative, Advocate Jibran Nasir, verified that the Sindh government had removed her name from the MPO list, leading to her release. He credited public and media pressure as key factors in securing her freedom.
However, he emphasised that the MPO order remains in effect against other BYC members, including Lala Wahab, Shehdad, Razik, and the minor Sultan. He urged the government to revoke the MPO against all detained activists, reaffirming their right to peaceful protest.
Meanwhile, BYC leader Lala Wahab Baloch has also been released and returned home safely, his family confirmed, the Balochistan Post reported.
Despite these releases, a significant number of BYC members remain detained or forcibly disappeared in Karachi and Balochistan. Key figures, including Dr. Mahrang Baloch, Bebarg Baloch, and Shah Ji Sibghatullah, are still in custody. Protests against their detention and reports of police violence against demonstrators have persisted across Balochistan for over ten days, TBP noted.
Advocate Jibran Nasir welcomed Sammi Deen's release as a step forward but reiterated demands for the immediate release of all detained BYC members, including Mahrang Baloch and others held by the Balochistan government, as reported by The Balochistan Post.
The crackdown on Baloch activists continues, with enforced disappearances and arrests fueling widespread unrest.
Human rights groups have urged the government to halt its suppression of peaceful demonstrations and called for international intervention in response to escalating repression in the region. (ANI)