ATC Hands Down Life Sentences to BYC Leaders in FC Soldier’s Brutal Murder Case

QUETTA, June 22: The Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) No. 1 in Quetta on Monday sentenced four leaders of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) and allied groups to life imprisonment for the February 2024 murder of Frontier Corps (FC) soldier Shabbir Baloch, concluding a high-profile trial that exposed the violent underbelly of what was projected as a peaceful political march.
The court found BYC leader Dr. Mahrang Baloch, Sibghatullah Shah, BSO Chairman Balach Qadir, and activist Abu Bakar Kalanchi guilty of inciting a mob that fatally attacked the security personnel in Gwadar. The verdict was delivered inside a specially established court at the District Jail Quetta, with the accused appearing via video link.
According to the charge sheet and trial evidence, the incident occurred when the "Raji Muchi" procession descended into anarchy. Sepoy Shabbir Baloch, a 30-year-old native of Sibi who was performing security duties, was cornered by the charged mob, pelted with stones, and killed on the spot. The prosecution presented irrefutable evidence during the trial, including drone surveillance footage that documented the sequence of events, clearly showing the accused leading the assault while the mob overpowered the unarmed soldier. Medical reports confirmed that the martyr also suffered desecration to his body post-mortem. Sixteen other personnel sustained injuries in the same attack.
The judicial process, spanning over two years, faced procedural challenges. Initially conducted in Gwadar, the trial was transferred to Quetta after the presiding judge cited safety concerns for his family. The transfer was aimed at ensuring a secure and unhindered judicial environment. When the defense counsel raised objections to witness testimony via video link—a provision allowed under law—the court accommodated their requests for physical appearances. However, as the evidentiary record mounted against the accused, the defense submitted a baseless no-confidence motion against the judge and subsequently boycotted the proceedings. In adherence to legal principles, the court appointed a counsel at state expense to safeguard the accused’s right to a fair defense.
State institutions and legal experts have welcomed the verdict as a decisive blow against elements seeking to challenge the writ of the state through violence. Authorities maintain that while peaceful political dissent remains a protected right under the Constitution, organising armed mobs to attack security forces constitutes outright terrorism. The state has drawn a clear red line between lawful protest and acts of terror that cost the life of a serving soldier.
Dr. Mahrang Baloch, who was arrested in March 2025, had remained in detention for over 15 months prior to the ruling. The verdict serves as a strong reminder that no individual or organisation is above the law, and that the security forces, who stand guard over the nation’s borders and internal peace, will not be abandoned to the mercy of violent mobs.
The convicted individuals retain the right to challenge the verdict in the High Court and the Supreme Court. The legal process is expected to move forward in accordance with the established appellate framework.