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

Quetta [Pakitan], July 8 (ANI): In it econd eion of the Virtual Debate Serie, the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) hoted prominent human right lawyer Advocate Imaan Zainab Mazari, who delivered a cathing critique of the tate ongoing weaponization of legal intrument to uppre indigenou Baloch voice.
Citing the recent detention of Mahrang Baloch and other BYC member under the colonial-era 3MPO ordinance, Mazari called the move a gro violation of contitutional right.
In a tatement hared on X (formerly Twitter), BYC reiterated that 3MPO, originally deigned by General Ayub Khan for political uppreion, i being miued to ilence peaceful democratic dient.
The arret of BYC leader i not only unlawful but politically motivated, Mazari aid, adding that the 3MPO allow detention without charge, violating Article 9 of Pakitan Contitution which guarantee the right to liberty. Thee detention are not about public order, they are about fear of organized indigenou reitance.
According to BYC official tatement, the Balochitan High Court refual to intervene, depite binding legal precedent, demontrate the judiciary alarming abdication of duty. The court claim that detainee could eek internal repreentation i hollow, BYC wrote on X, ince no effective mechanim wa ever provided.
Mazari pointed out that detention carried out with mala fide intent mut be quahed under the law, yet the judiciary ilence ha enabled the illegal 15-day extenion of BYC member imprionment.
In her cloing remark, Mazari quetioned the legality of uing an executive ordinance to override contitutional protection. Can 3MPO upend liberty under Article 9? The anwer hould be no, but in today Pakitan, even that i up for debate.
BYC concluded that they reaffirm their commitment to peaceful reitance and the right to protet. The law mut erve jutice, not be twited into a tool of oppreion.
The Virtual Debate Serie continue to provide a vital platform for voice challenging the tate crackdown on political freedom in Balochitan. (ANI)