BHC passes the buck on Mahrang's detention case

The Balochistan High Court (BHC) on Tuesday disposed of a constitutional petition seeking the release of Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) chief organiser Dr Mahrang Baloch, directing the petitioner to approach the Balochistan home department.

A division bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Ejaz Ahmed Swati and Justice Muhammad Aamir Rana heard the petition. Instead of issuing a ruling on the matter, the court converted the constitutional petition into a representation and forwarded it to the provincial home secretary for appropriate action.

The bench advised the petitioner to first raise the matter with the home department to determine the legality of the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) under which Mahrang had been detained.

Advocate Imran Baloch, representing the petitioner, argued that the plea was seeking the release of Dr Mahrang Baloch and a declaration that her arrest under the MPO was illegal.

"We had asked the court to share the details of Mahrang's case with us, which is our legal right," Baloch said. "However, instead of seeking those details from the government, the court directed us to approach the home department."

"They closed all doors for us to appeal and directed us to the government instead," her lawyer Kamran Murtaza told AFP, calling it a "refusal of justice".

Imaan Mazari, a second lawyer, called it a "complete abdication of responsibility" by the justice system, which has "put her at the mercy of the same administration that detained her".

Baloch will now remain under administrative detention, a 30-day period renewable three times under Pakistani law.

The 32-year-old was placed under administrative detention by the Balochistan provincial government on March 22, accused of terrorism, sedition, and murder after leading a protest.

In the wake of the BHC's refusal to rule on the case, Dr Mahrang will now remain under administrative detention, a 30-day period renewable three times under the law.

(With input from AFP)