On March 12, 2025, armed members of the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) hijacked the Jaffar Express.
While BYC and Dr. Mahrang Baloch initially remained silent, the situation escalated when, following a successful security operation that killed 33 militants, their bodies were brought to Quetta’s Civil Hospital the next day.
Dr. Mahrang and dozens of BYC members gathered there, demanding the custody of the bodies, which led to chaos, pushing, and stone-pelting.
Police responded by registering cases under charges of attacking hospital security, damaging public property, and aiding terrorism.
According to official records, during the unrest and subsequent sit-in, 196 people were detained under Section 3 of the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) law.
The MPO allows provincial authorities to detain individuals without prior court approval for up to 90 days, though extensions require written justification and judicial review.
Of the 196 detainees, 190 were released within 30 to 60 days after initial investigation.
Only six key suspects — including Dr. Mahrang Baloch, Baibarg Baloch, Gulzadi, and Bebo — remained in custody beyond the initial 90-day period.
This indicates that most detainees were either innocent or had minor involvement, refuting the claim of “collective punishment.”
Once the MPO period ended, the remaining six detainees were transferred to an Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) on July 8, 2025.
The court approved a 10-day physical remand for police investigation.
Legal challenges, filed by Imaan Mazari and others citing illegal detention and rights violations, were dismissed by both the tribunal and the Supreme Court, which ruled that the MPO notifications, review board approvals, and the eventual filing of charges met constitutional standards.
Out of 196 detainees, only six were formally charged with terrorism, undermining the narrative of “collective vengeance.
” Every MPO extension was judicially reviewed, and the eventual transfer to police ensured due legal process.
The Supreme Court affirmed that all detainees had full access to legal remedies and held that Article 184(3) was not directly applicable where alternate legal forums exist.
The records show that whether it was the emergency response after the hospital incident or the judicial proceedings that followed, the state adhered to legal norms.
Claims by Dr. Mahrang and her supporters that dissent was suppressed through illegal means do not align with court orders, official data, or the proportion of detainees released.
The Jaffar Express incident reconfirmed BLA’s status as a terrorist outfit, while the politicization of the hospital tragedy led BYC’s protest to a violent turn.
Nevertheless, judicial oversight and timely releases demonstrate the state’s commitment to due process.
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This distinction between violent insurgency and civic protest is the backbone of democratic order.
