Mahrang Baloch is a Baloch human rights activist who advocates against alleged enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and other human rights abuses in Balochistan, Pakistan.
Baloch leads the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC). On 28 July 2024, she participated in the Baloch Raji Muchi (Baloch National Gathering) in Gwadar, an event aimed at uniting the Baloch against these abuses.
Mahrang Baloch was born in 1993 into a Baloch family. Her father, Abdul Gaffar Langove, was an activist who raised his voice against human rights violations in Pakistan.
Human rights activism
On 12 December 2009, her father was allegedly abducted by Pakistani security forces while on his way to the hospital in Karachi, but he was later released.
At 16, she began protesting his abduction and quickly became a prominent figure in the student resistance movement. In July 2011, her father was abducted again and later found dead, showing signs of torture.
In December 2017, her brother was also abducted but was subsequently released. Since then, she has emerged as a leading figure in the Baloch resistance movement, protesting against the government’s extraction of natural resources from Balochistan.
In 2020, she led a group of students in a protest against the proposed removal of the quota system at Bolan Medical College, which reserves spots for medical students from remote areas of the province. As a result of the group’s activism and hunger strikes, the proposed policy change was cancelled.
2023 Baloch Long March
The Baloch Long March was a protest movement led by Baloch and other women activists from the Baloch Youth Congress (BYC). They journeyed from Turbat to Islamabad to protest human rights violations and enforced disappearances in Balochistan.
According to the BYC, the protesters were detained by the Islamabad Police. Later, a bail was approved, leading to the release of some participants, although many remained missing, according to media reports and lawyers.
Time magazine recognition
In October 2024, Time magazine named Baloch one of the 100 emerging influential leaders of the year, recognising her extraordinary courage in opposing state oppression and her relentless advocacy against enforced disappearances and human rights violations in Balochistan.
Anti-state allegations
Pakistani authorities have labelled Baloch as an instigator of anti-state sentiments. The government has accused her of promoting these sentiments and inciting unrest.
In January 2024, an FIR was filed against her under Section 124-A (sedition) of the Pakistan Penal Code, alleging that her speeches criticised the state and could provoke public disorder.
Officials claimed that her statements threatened national security and stability in Balochistan.
In February 2024, government spokesperson Aqeel Malik expressed concerns regarding the BYC, suggesting that the group’s protests and demonstrations extended beyond human rights advocacy, incorporating narratives that could be perceived as challenging state authority.
Additionally, he alluded to the possibility of foreign influence shaping their activism.
Awards
In December 2024, Baloch was included in the BBC’s 100 Women list. Time magazine also named Baloch in its TIME100 Next list, which “spotlights 100 rising stars who are shaping the future of business, entertainment, sports, politics, science, health and more”.
In March 2025, Baloch confirmed through X that she has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2025.
