By leading hunger strikes, protests, and grassroots campaigns, women are redefining resistance in Balochistan. They are not victims waiting to be saved; they are architects of a revolution built on truth, dignity, and determination.

 

By DUR BIBI

Groundxero | May 03, 2025

 

In March 2025, after the deadly Jafar Express incident claimed by the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), the Pakistani state responded not just with military operations but with a sweeping political crackdown on peaceful dissent — particularly targeting the leadership of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC).

 

While international coverage focused on insurgency, the real casualties were peaceful Baloch activists — especially women — who have emerged as the moral conscience of Balochistan’s resistance. What unfolded after the attack was not justice, but the expansion of a war on memory, motherhood, and movement-building.

 

From Protest to Persecution

 

On March 21, 2025, BYC held a peaceful sit-in on Sariab Road, Quetta, mourning extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances. According to BYC, police responded with live fire, killing three protestors — a claim echoed by witnesses and local reports (Dawn, March 22, 2025).

 

The following morning, a pre-dawn raid dismantled the protest camp. Activists Dr. Mahrang Baloch, Bebo, and others were arrested under Section 3 of the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO). Even the dead bodies of the slain protesters were forcibly taken by the state. This was not an act of law enforcement — it was a political message.

 

Arrests Are the New Normal

 

What was once unthinkable — the arrest of women protestors, daughters of disappeared fathers, frontline medical professionals — has now become normalized. The arrest of women is no longer an exception; it is a tactic. Dr. Mahrang, Gulzadi, Dr. Sabiha, and many others were treated not as citizens, but as threats to national order.

 

And yet, these women are not militants. They are students, doctors, daughters, and mothers. Their only weapon is memory — and their only strategy is mourning made public.

 

Collective Punishment as Policy

 

Sabiha Baloch is a former student leader and central leader of BYC. Just for giving a speech criticizing the state, federal forces issued her arrest warrant and started searching for her to detain her. Unable to find her, the military abducted her father in an attempt to blackmail her, a tactic that shows how deep the rot of authoritarianism goes.

 

Sabiha wrote on her X handle,

 

“This is not law enforcement. This is political blackmail.

When the state fails to silence a voice, it turns to punishing blood relations. My father and family have been repeatedly harassed because of my activism.

But fascism forgets: ideas don’t live in houses they can raid. They live in the hearts of people who refuse to kneel.”

“We will not be silenced,” she added.

 

The case of Dr. Sabiha Baloch reveals the state’s increasing reliance on collective punishment, a tactic long condemned in international law and by human rights groups. When security forces failed to arrest Sabiha, they abducted her father instead — delivering a chilling ultimatum: surrender yourself, or your father will vanish in the black hole of the state.

 

This is not an isolated incident. In Balochistan, collective punishment has become a weaponized doctrine: homes are raided at night, family members are detained in place of suspects, and communities are punished for the political beliefs of a few. The logic is simple — break the family unit, and you break resistance.

 

Breaking the Narrative: Women as Strategic Actors

 

Traditionally, the state has viewed women through a lens of patriarchal assumptions — as emotional, apolitical, and passive. In doing so, they underestimated Baloch women. These women have not only challenged state violence but also broken the deeply entrenched narrative of women as weak and silent.

 

Baloch women like Mahrang, Sabiha, Shali, and Gulzadi have collapsed the boundary between personal and political, turning mourning into organizing and home into headquarters. They are no longer just family members of the disappeared — they are leaders of a national movement.

 

Transformation in action: 

 

“I am nobody’s daughter — I am everyone’s daughter.”

 

This is not just a rejection of patriarchal control, but a declaration of collective identity. In a place where family has been used as a mechanism of repression, these women have turned family into community, and grief into resistance.

 

The ISPR’s Weaponisation of Religion, and Peaceful Protests

 

As resistance strengthened, so did the state’s rhetoric. In a recent press conference, Pakistan’s military media wing, ISPR, framed the protests in religious terms — invoking Islam, morality, and national unity to discredit dissent.

 

This use of religion as a political shield is strategic: it attempts to silence women activists by portraying them as anti-Islam and anti-national, relying on a script that questions their modesty, intent.

 

But Baloch women have refused to play into that narrative. Their resistance is against oppression. And in that, they represent a deeper moral authority — one that cannot be defamed by the state’s false narratives or its men in uniforms.

 

Letters from the Jail: A Blueprint of Resistance

 

From behind bars, Dr. Mahrang Baloch continues to write — to her siblings, her community, her fellow activists. In her letters, she speaks not just of suffering, but of strategy, resilience, and hope. Her Eid message emphasized non-violence and the collective soul of the movement. Her letter, to the BYC workers, is quoted across campuses, homes, and protest circles in Balochistan. In a letter, published on her X handle (former twitter) on 22 April, she talks about “What should we do.” She talks in this letter about violence, and the definition of “defeat” for her.

 

In her recent letter to journalist Kiyya, Dr. Mahrang Baloch wrote that the arrest of Baloch women is being portrayed to the outside world as an assault on dignity. “Yes, I am a woman,” she wrote, “but I am also a conscious and empowered political activist. Our struggle is not the outcome of any unfortunate incident — it is the result of a deliberate and informed decision. The state’s attempt to detain us is, in fact, an assault on that very consciousness and choice.”

 

Likewise, Gulzadi’s letter, published by The Balochistan Post, details torture, humiliation and her unwavering commitment to resistance.

 

These letters are now more powerful than speeches — they are sacred texts in a political landscape that has forgotten its conscience.

 

The State Tactics and Narratives Building

 

The state’s response to peaceful protest has not only been brutal — it has been systematic. From Army Chief to Chief Minister of Balochistan, they all build narratives against BYC.

 

In February 2025, Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff, General Asim Munir, visited Quetta and issued a stern declaration: the armed forces would “hunt down terrorist proxies of their foreign masters” in Balochistan. He reaffirmed the army’s commitment to defeating what he termed “insurgent networks” and reiterated the strategic importance of securing development projects like Reko Diq.

 

These statements, framed under the banner of “national security,” once again reduced the demands for justice and dignity — especially those voiced by Baloch women — to a false dichotomy of loyalty versus treason. While Munir’s speech emphasized agricultural development and the Green Pakistan Initiative, the underlying message was clear: military presence and hard power would remain central to Pakistan state’s approach in Balochistan.

 

General Asim Munir in his speech at the first Overseas Pakistanis Convention on April 15, 2025, reinforced the state’s hardline narrative against Baloch resistance, declaring that even “ten generations of terrorists” cannot harm Balochistan or Pakistan.

 

This narrative directly clashes with the peaceful resistance led by the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), which has mobilised communities—especially women—against enforced disappearances and state violence through nonviolent means. The military’s sweeping statements blur the line between peaceful activists and insurgents, attempting to delegitimise grassroots movements like BYC by folding them into a counterterrorism framework.

 

The language used — “proxies,” “foreign handlers,” “stability through strength” — is not new. It’s the same discourse that has historically been used to criminalise dissent in Balochistan. But in 2025, it has taken a particularly gendered and dehumanizing turn. Women who speak out are no longer just labeled as “misguided” — they are treated as a threat to national integrity.

 

The accusation by Chief Minister Sarfaraz Bugti against Sami Deen Baloch—alleging that she burned the Pakistani flag—was not an isolated incident. Later, he apologised, but it was part of a larger, deliberate narrative being built against the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), a grassroots movement known for its peaceful struggle against state repression.

 

This accusation was not only baseless but dangerously inflammatory. In a country like Pakistan, where nationalism is weaponised and dissent is often equated with treason, accusing someone of desecrating the national flag can endanger their life. It puts the accused at risk of public backlash, social media attacks, and even legal persecution. It attempts to delegitimise the political activism of individuals like Sami Deen Baloch by branding them as “anti-national.”

 

What makes this even more telling is that Sami Deen Baloch has stated she never contacted the Chief Minister; rather, it was Sarfaraz Bugti himself who called her to apologise. This admission reveals that even those in power recognized the severity and falsehood of the accusation.

 

Such acts are not mere political slips—they are targeted attempts to discredit and dismantle peaceful resistance movements like BYC, which challenge the state not with weapons, but with truth, memory, and collective mobilisation.

 

The Legal Aspects Against and For BYC

 

Dr. Mahrang Baloch, was arrested in March 2025 following a peaceful sit-in protesting state violence. She was initially detained under the Maintenance of Public Order (3MPO) law and later had her detention extended by 30 days under serious charges, including terrorism, sedition, and murder.

 

Mahrang’s lawyer Imran Baloch recently called the detentions unlawful, alleging that no notification was given and proper legal procedures were bypassed.

 

Dr Mahrang’s counsel submitted a petition challenging the charges on March 25 in the Balochistan High Court. The hearing was on April 10. After delaying the verdict for three days, the court transferred the case to the Home Department for further review. “This shows the cases of BYC leaders are being intentionally suppressed,” lawyer and human rights activist Jadain Dashti, said to Balochistan Times.

 

Families of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) leaders have raised serious concerns over the in-custody abuse and mistreatment of activists. On April 23, a large force from the Counter Terrorism Department stormed Quetta’s Hudda Jail, reportedly subjected Beebow Baloch to physical violence, and then forcibly transferred her to Pishin Jail. In protest, Dr. Mahrang Baloch and fellow BYC members started a hunger strike.

 

“The hunger strike was our stand against the abduction of Beebow, the unjust imprisonment of our comrades, and the fabricated cases being filed against our movement,” said Dr. Sabiha Baloch, a senior figure in the BYC. “We are deeply concerned that other members may also be isolated and relocated without notice, as was done with Beebow,” she added.

 

After five days without food, the hunger strike was called off following emotional appeals from the families of the detained activists, lawyers and families of forcibly disappeared people. They said, “the BYC leadership is our only hope against the state repression.”

 

Families of the forcibly disappeared have expressed growing anxiety over the well-being of their loved ones, fearing not only for their deteriorating health but also for the continued intimidation and abuse they may be facing at the hands of law enforcement.

 

Nadia Baloch, sister of Dr. Mahrang Baloch, said in her post on X that a deeply troubling aspect that she observed is the judiciary’s increasing reliance on the state. “The court asks the state to justify arrests but stops short of ordering release,” she wrote. “If the basis of an arrest is weak or unfounded, the court itself should issue release orders,” she emphasised.

 

She further added that Beebow’s lawyer informed the court that her father is in custody, she has been transferred to another district’s jail, and her mother is critically ill—yet the court still did not order her release. “This is astonishing,” Nadia wrote, “especially when someone is arrested in Quetta under the 3MPO and then shifted to a jail outside the district.”

 

Nadia Baloch, on 30th April also wrote on X that the Balochistan High Court heard four cases related to the detention of BYC leaders under 3MPO. The state informed the court that Dr. Hammal, brother of BYC leader Beebgr had been released, while Sibghatullah Shah Ji and Bebarg Zehri remain in custody. In Dr. Mahrang’s case, the court ordered the government to submit full details of her arrest and justify her continued detention.

 

A separate case involved the arrest of 90 people. The state claimed 16 are not in custody, 20 were released, and one was moved to Gaddani Jail. Nadia visited Hudda Jail and found only 3 of the 16 were held there, raising serious concerns about the remaining 13.

 

The court also asked for a detailed report on Beebow and Gulzadi. Nadia criticized the judiciary’s growing reliance on the state, saying it seeks explanations for arrests but fails to order releases, even in cases like Beebow’s, where humanitarian grounds are clear.

 

Beebow Baloch’s brother wrote on X that her legal team visited Pishin Jail today to meet her but was denied entry. Jail authorities gave conflicting reasons—initially saying they needed approval from higher-ups, then blaming the 1st May holiday. Meanwhile, other visitors, including two medical teams, were allowed entry. Only Beebow’s lawyers were turned away. He noted that crucial legal documents were due to be signed, and with the courts closed over the weekend, this delay will stall her legal process further. “Why is Beebow Baloch being denied even her most basic legal rights?” he asked.

 

Nadia Baloch also wrote on X that Beebow Baloch’s legal team was denied a meeting with her at Pishin Jail after a three-hour wait. Despite other visitors being allowed inside, including medical teams, her lawyers were turned away with excuses of needing higher permission and the 1st May holiday.

 

Nadia confirmed that Beebow’s health is deteriorating in solitary confinement, with no access to medical care, news, or information. She hasn’t been informed of the charges against her or allowed to meet her lawyers. With her father also detained and mother ill, Beebow is enduring extreme isolation and mental distress. Nadia condemned this treatment as a violation of her basic rights and called for immediate access to legal and medical support.

 

The international community has begun to take notice. In April 2025, the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention announced it would formally review the detention of Dr. Mahrang Baloch, following global outcry over her arrest on charges of terrorism and sedition. As reported by The Balochistan Post, this move highlights growing international concern over Pakistan’s treatment of Baloch activists, particularly women, and signals a critical step toward holding the state accountable for its ongoing campaign of repression.

 

The Path to Peace in Balochistan: A Call for Recognition and Revolution

 

The Pakistani state has long spoken of peace in Balochistan — but peace cannot be imposed; it must be negotiated. And negotiation begins with recognition.

 

The true representatives of Balochistan are not seated in parliaments or guarded behind cantonment walls. They are on the streets, in jails, and in protest camps. They wear shawls instead of military stars, hold photographs instead of rifles, and speak not just for their families, but for an entire people haunted by enforced disappearances, military operations, and silenced grief.

 

At the heart of this resistance are Baloch women — like Dr. Mahrang Baloch, Beebow, and Gulzadi — who have emerged as conscious and courageous political actors. Their defiance is not accidental, nor merely reactionary. As Dr. Mahrang wrote in her letter to journalist Kiyya, “Yes, I am a woman — but I am also a conscious and empowered political activist. Our struggle is not the result of any incident. It is a deliberate and informed decision.”

 

These women are not only resisting repression — they are dismantling the very narratives that have justified the state’s violence. By leading hunger strikes, protests, and grassroots campaigns, they are redefining resistance in Balochistan. They are not victims waiting to be saved; they are architects of a revolution built on truth, dignity, and determination.

 

Their political awakening stands as a direct challenge to the state’s narrative of peace — a narrative built on control, silence, and suppression. In contrast, these women are reshaping the discourse, demanding justice, and forcing the world to listen. Through their presence, their voices, and their unwavering will, they are rewriting the story of Balochistan — not as a footnote of conflict, but as a frontline of conscious, revolutionary resistance.

 

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DUR BIBI is a Baloch political activist with a background in Defence and Strategic Studies, committed to advocating Baloch rights and highlighting the ongoing struggle of her people.

 

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