KARACHI/ISLAMABAD: Rights activist Mahrang Baloch was barred from leaving the country by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Monday night at Karachi Airport.
Mahrang Baloch’s name is on the immigration stop list, leading authorities to prevent her from traveling. She was en route to New York to attend Time Magazine’s gala, where she was invited as one of the “Most Influential Emerging Leaders of the Year.”
In a post on X, Baloch expressed her frustration: “This action reflects the growing fear and insecurity of the state toward Baloch voices.”
She further emphasized that the travel restriction had no legitimate basis, claiming it was an attempt to silence Baloch voices on an international platform, control information about Balochistan, and hide the long-standing human rights abuses in the region.
Baloch was recently named one of Time’s ‘100 Most Influential People of 2024’. The magazine highlighted her leadership in advocating for Baloch rights, especially after many men in the community have gone missing or been killed.
In December, she led a peaceful march of hundreds of women to Islamabad, seeking justice for their missing loved ones.
Notably, Mahrang Baloch never denounced terrorist attacks on Punjabis and security officials in Balochistan. She also did not condemn Baloch militants’ involvement in the terrorist activities in Pakistan.
