On November 10 in Quetta, the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) fired a sharp warning at Pakistani authorities for turning the legal system into a tool of repression. The committee said the Counter‑Terrorism Department (CTD) keeps withholding key documents while the courts hurry to move cases forward.
During the latest jail trial, the CTD again failed to submit the complete charge‑sheet, or challan, against BYC leaders. The BYC says this delay is deliberate, a tactic that stretches the trial and keeps activists in limbo.
Since the case opened, the CTD has pushed back on the court repeatedly by refusing to hand over full paperwork. The judge, however, has often accepted these half‑filled filings and moved ahead with the proceedings.
“We waited for all the required documents, yet the court pressed on with an incomplete case,” the BYC statement read. “The court looks to the CTD’s irregular submissions and seems to support its legal playbook.”
The committee added that the CTD created over twenty‑five fake first‑information reports (FIRs) against BYC members. The court has now used new FIRs that the CTD introduced during hearings. This shows that Pakistan’s law works against human‑rights defenders and erodes trust in the judiciary.
In four other cases involving Baloch activists, anti‑terror court judges in Khuzdar granted bail. In contrast, the Quetta court kept the proceedings open far longer, creating a clear pattern of unequal treatment.
The BYC says the court’s actions demonstrate a paralysis that lets the state side with power.
During Saturday’s session, BYC chief organizer Majrangi Baloch asked the judge whether freedom of speech exists in Pakistan. The judge replied that it is a constitutional right, but the BYC said in practice no such freedom exists: the law is used to punish activists for the very speeches that should be protected.
“Even the judge who recognises free speech is following intelligence orders instead of the law,” the committee added.
The BYC calls on international human‑rights groups to step in. They urge these organizations to spotlight Pakistan’s misuse of law against defenders and to press for the release of BYC leaders.
By shedding light on how the counter‑terrorism machinery weaponises law, the BYC hopes to spark broader protection of civil liberties and reinforce fairness in Pakistan’s courts.
Source: ianslive
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