Rights activist and Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) leader Dr Mahrang Baloch was on Monday night stopped from boarding a flight to New York by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) at the Karachi Airport.The incident comes weeks after another BYC leader, Sammi Deen Baloch was prevented from flying out of Pakistan at the same airport for the same reason.
In a video statement, Dr Mahrang claimed her name had been included in the immigration stop list, leading authorities to prevent her travel. She was travelling to the USA after she was invited to Time Magazine’s gala celebrating the "Most Influential Emerging Leaders of the Year." Dr Mahrang had been recognised by Time as among the top 100 emerging leaders in the 'advocate' category.
Taking to social media after the incident, Dr Mahrang expressed her outrage, saying the move was aimed at silencing Baloch voices on an international platform.
“This action reflects the growing fear and insecurity of the state toward Baloch voices,” she posted on X (formerly Twitter) and other social media platforms, criticising the state’s attempt to suppress information about ongoing human rights abuses in Balochistan.
In recent months, the state’s crackdown on Baloch activists has intensified, with increased targeting of individuals involved in the Baloch civil rights movement.
Sammi Deen Baloch also barred from travel
This incident comes on the heels of the government blocking international travel for another rights activist, Sammi Deen Baloch, who was stopped from leaving the country just weeks earlier. Sami Deen was scheduled to travel to Oman but was barred by FIA officials at Karachi Airport who claimed her name had been placed on the Exit Control List (ECL) by the Balochistan government.
In a social media post, she revealed she had been detained for several hours at the airport without receiving any formal notification of her inclusion on the ECL. She alleged that authorities were closely monitoring her movements.
Attack at Karachi airport
In a separate incident which coincided with Mahrang's planned departure at the Karachi airport, a suicide bomber targetted a convoy of Chinese engineers. Packing several kilogrammes of explosives, the bomber struck the convoy damaging at least 15 vehicles while killing at least three people, including two Chinese nationals, and injuring several security officials.
The separatist group Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) claimed responsibility for the attack.
Following investigations, law enforcement officials had made at least four arrests in Sindh and Balochistan, with at least two suspects arrested from Karachi.