Court dismisses BYC leader’s plea for FIR against police officials

A sessions court on Monday dismissed an application of Baloch Yakjehti Committee leader Dr Mahrang Baloch seeking the registration of an FIR against police officials for an alleged unlawful search and snatching her mobile phone and passport.

Dr Mahrang through her lawyer Daniyal Muhammad Hussain filed the application under sections 22-A and 22-B of the Criminal Procedure Code naming the Malir SSP, SSP Investigation, and Airport SHO as respondents.

After hearing arguments, the district and sessions judge (Malir) dismissed the application, observing that the application was not maintainable since the applicant had already filed a petition in the Sindh High Court seeking the same relief.

Mahrang stated in her application that on October 7, she was scheduled to board a US-bound flight to attend the Times Magazine Gala as one of the 100 people recognised as next most 100 influential figures globally. However, she was stopped at Jinnah International Airport from travelling to the US as her passport was taken away by immigration officials without assigning any reason, she added.

The applicant said that her passport was returned to her only after her flight had taken off. She claimed that as soon as she, along with other Baloch rights activists Sammi Deen Baloch, Fouzia Baloch and Yasir Baloch, left the airport in a car, they were intercepted near the old airport within the jurisdiction of the Airport police station by around eight male police officers, who came in two police vehicles.

She alleged that they dragged out her male companion and started beating him, adding that the personnel also demanded that she and other female occupants also get off the car for body search, which they refused saying that only a female cop was allowed to do it.

On hearing this, Mahrang said that at least three police officers opened the car’s passenger seat doors and forcefully started searching them by forcing themselves inside the vehicle. They snatched her mobile phone and opened her handbag and took out her passport as well before leaving with the car keys, she added.

On October 8, the applicant said she went to the airport police station to submit her application for the registration of an FIR, but the police refused to receive it, which she later sent through courier.

The applicant pleaded with the judge to order the SHO Airport to lodge an FIR against the police officials on the basis of her statement and issue directives for assigning investigation into the case to an officer not below the SSP rank. In his reply submitted to the court, the SHO stated that no such incident had taken place nor was received any application of the petitioner.