Pakistan detains leading Baloch activist amid protests

Mahrang Baloch, a prominent female human rights activist, was detained in Balochistan during a sit-in protest where three demonstrators were killed. Baloch has long advocated for the rights of the Baloch ethnic group, which claims to face extrajudicial harassment from the Pakistani government, which argues it is combating separatist militants in the region. Alongside Baloch, 17 other protesters were arrested, and authorities are currently determining the charges against them. The Baloch Yakjehti Committee reported the arrests as a 'brutal pre-dawn crackdown' by security forces. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan has called for an immediate end to the use of force against peaceful protesters and the release of those arbitrarily detained. This incident follows a recent train siege in the province that resulted in significant casualties, highlighting ongoing tensions in the region.