Pakistan weaponises colonial-era law to crush Baloch voices, silences judiciary

Quetta [Pakistan], July 8 (ANI): In its second session of the Virtual Debate Series, the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) hosted prominent human rights lawyer Advocate Imaan Zainab Mazari, who delivered a scathing critique of the state's ongoing weaponization of legal instruments to suppress indigenous Baloch voices.
Citing the recent detention of Mahrang Baloch and other BYC members under the colonial-era 3MPO ordinance, Mazari called the move "a gross violation of constitutional rights."
In a statement shared on X (formerly Twitter), BYC reiterated that 3MPO, originally designed by General Ayub Khan for political suppression, is being misused to silence peaceful democratic dissent.
"The arrest of BYC leaders is not only unlawful but politically motivated," Mazari said, adding that the 3MPO allows detention without charge, violating Article 9 of Pakistan's Constitution which guarantees the right to liberty. "These detentions are not about public order, they are about fear of organized indigenous resistance."
According to BYC's official statement, the Balochistan High Court's refusal to intervene, despite binding legal precedents, demonstrates the judiciary's alarming abdication of duty. "The court's claim that detainees could seek internal representation is hollow," BYC wrote on X, "since no effective mechanism was ever provided."
Mazari pointed out that detentions carried out with mala fide intent must be quashed under the law, yet the judiciary's silence has enabled the illegal 15-day extensions of BYC members' imprisonment.
In her closing remarks, Mazari questioned the legality of using an executive ordinance to override constitutional protections. "Can 3MPO suspend liberty under Article 9? The answer should be no, but in today's Pakistan, even that is up for debate."
BYC concluded that they reaffirm their commitment to peaceful resistance and the right to protest. The law must serve justice, not be twisted into a tool of oppression."
The Virtual Debate Series continues to provide a vital platform for voices challenging the state's crackdown on political freedoms in Balochistan. (ANI)