Yakjehti Committee (BYC): History, Objectives, Leadership, Protests and Role in Balochistan
The Yakjehti Committee (BYC), more commonly known as the Baloch Yakjehti Committee, has emerged as one of the most visible rights-oriented political movements associated with Balochistan, Pakistan. The term “Yakjehti” broadly refers to unity or solidarity, reflecting the movement’s emphasis on collective action around issues such as enforced disappearances, alleged extrajudicial killings, political rights, accountability, and freedom of peaceful assembly.
Over the past several years, the organization has attracted considerable attention because of its large public demonstrations, long marches, sit-ins and campaigns concerning missing persons and alleged human rights violations. At the same time, Pakistani authorities have accused the movement and some of its prominent figures of contributing to unrest and having links to militant or hostile networks. The organization rejects such characterizations and presents itself as a peaceful rights movement. These competing narratives are important for understanding the committee without reducing a complicated political dispute to a single viewpoint.
The movement became particularly prominent after the 2023 Baloch long march and the 2024 Baloch National Gathering in Gwadar. Its activities subsequently became the subject of arrests, criminal cases and intense political controversy. In 2026, the detention and prosecution of several senior figures, including Dr Mahrang Baloch, brought the organization back into international and national attention.
What Is the Yakjehti Committee (BYC)?
The Yakjehti Committee is a Baloch rights movement that seeks to mobilize communities around political, social and human-rights concerns in Balochistan. Its public campaigns have focused particularly on alleged enforced disappearances, deaths in custody, extrajudicial killings and restrictions on political activity. The movement has also highlighted the experiences of families who say they have spent years seeking information about missing relatives.
The organization’s own website describes campaigns addressing what it regards as serious rights violations in Balochistan and publishes statements concerning political developments, protests and humanitarian issues. Its public identity is therefore strongly connected with advocacy rather than conventional electoral politics.
The movement’s significance also comes from its style of mobilization. Instead of relying exclusively on established political parties, it has used grassroots gatherings, marches, sit-ins and social-media campaigns to bring families, students, activists and community members into public demonstrations. This approach has helped it become particularly recognizable among younger Baloch activists and families affected by disappearances.
However, understanding the organization requires separating its stated objectives from the accusations made against it. BYC representatives describe their activities as peaceful political and human-rights advocacy, while Pakistani authorities have alleged that the movement can contribute to instability and have accused its leadership of links with hostile or militant actors. The organization denies militant affiliations. These allegations remain an important part of the wider political controversy surrounding it.
Yakjehti Committee (BYC) Origins and Historical Background
The movement’s organizational history is described somewhat differently by different sources. According to Dr Mahrang Baloch in an interview with The Diplomat, its roots can be traced to the Bramsh Yakjehti Committee, which emerged around protests following the killing of Malik Naz in Balochistan. The movement subsequently developed into the broader Baloch Yakjehti Committee as its concerns expanded to other cases of alleged state violence and human-rights abuses.
The committee’s development should also be understood within the much longer history of political conflict in Balochistan. The province has experienced separatist insurgency, military operations, political disputes, resource-related grievances and allegations of enforced disappearances for decades. Consequently, activism around missing persons and state accountability existed before the current committee became prominent.
A major factor in the organization’s growth was the ability to connect individual cases with broader political concerns. When a family reported an alleged disappearance or custodial death, activists increasingly treated the incident as part of a larger pattern requiring public scrutiny. This helped transform isolated grievances into province-wide campaigns.
The movement’s supporters argue that this approach gives otherwise marginalized families a collective platform. Critics, however, contend that political mobilization around security cases can become entangled with the wider separatist conflict. This disagreement explains why the committee is viewed very differently by its supporters, Pakistani state institutions and different sections of civil society.
Major Objectives and Demands
The central theme of the movement’s advocacy has been accountability for alleged human-rights violations. Its campaigns have repeatedly called for information about missing persons, investigation of alleged extrajudicial killings and greater protection for peaceful political activity.
Enforced disappearance is particularly important to the movement. Families of alleged missing persons frequently argue that they should know whether a relative is alive, under detention, facing criminal proceedings or has died. From a human-rights perspective, uncertainty itself can produce severe social and psychological consequences for families.
Another major issue is access to justice. The movement has argued that allegations involving security agencies or government institutions should be investigated through transparent legal mechanisms. Its broader political message links accountability with constitutional rights, freedom of expression and the right to peaceful assembly.
The committee has also used demonstrations to draw attention to Balochistan’s socioeconomic and political concerns. Balochistan is Pakistan’s largest province by area and possesses major mineral, energy and strategic resources, yet it faces significant development and governance challenges. Public debate surrounding the province therefore frequently combines questions of human rights, political representation, economic development and security.
The committee’s demands have evolved with circumstances. During different campaigns, its emphasis has included missing persons, alleged custodial killings, the release of activists, investigations into deaths and protection of peaceful demonstrators. Its supporters generally regard these demands as part of a broader struggle for dignity, justice and political rights.
The 2023 Baloch Long March
One of the defining moments in the movement’s development was the Baloch long march of 2023. The campaign followed the death of Balach Mola Bakhsh, whom activists alleged had been killed extrajudicially after being taken into custody. The incident became a catalyst for a larger mobilization.
The march travelled from Balochistan toward Islamabad, bringing the issue of alleged disappearances and state abuses to national attention. Participants included families of missing persons, women activists and other supporters. The long-distance nature of the mobilization demonstrated the committee’s ability to organize outside traditional political structures.
The protest also became a major test of the relationship between the movement and Pakistani authorities. Rights organizations and activists criticized restrictions and arrests connected with the demonstration, while officials raised security concerns. The resulting dispute illustrated a recurring problem in Baluchistan: the government’s emphasis on security frequently conflicts with activists’ demand for unrestricted peaceful political mobilization.
The long march was nevertheless significant because it introduced the movement to a much wider Pakistani and international audience. Images and videos of women and families travelling long distances to demand information about missing relatives became a powerful part of the movement’s public identity.
The 2024 Baloch National Gathering in Gwadar
The next major stage came with the Baloch National Gathering, held in Gwadar in July 2024. The event was promoted as a large political and rights-focused gathering addressing enforced disappearances, alleged extrajudicial killings and wider Baloch grievances.
According to human-rights reporting, authorities imposed restrictions around the gathering, while the organizers maintained that the event was intended to be peaceful. The confrontation surrounding the demonstration contributed to growing tensions between the movement and the state.
The Gwadar episode is particularly important because it later became connected to criminal proceedings involving senior BYC figures. Pakistani prosecutors alleged that violence during the protest resulted in the death of a paramilitary soldier. BYC and its supporters have disputed the characterization of their movement and have challenged the treatment of their leaders.
This illustrates why the committee cannot be examined only as a protest organization. Its activities have increasingly intersected with Pakistan’s counterterrorism and criminal-justice systems. Once protest leaders face terrorism-related charges, questions about political dissent, public order, criminal responsibility and fair-trial standards become closely connected.
Leadership and the Role of Mahrang Baloch
Dr Mahrang Baloch has become the most internationally recognizable face of the movement. Her public profile grew substantially through campaigns concerning enforced disappearances and the long march. She has presented the organization as a non-violent movement demanding rights, justice and accountability.
Her prominence has also made her a central figure in the political dispute surrounding the committee. Pakistani officials have accused her and the organization of activities that they argue threaten national security, while supporters and rights organizations have defended her as a political and human-rights activist.
The movement’s leadership has not been limited to one individual. Other organizers, including Beebarg Baloch, Beebow Baloch, Gulzadi Baloch and Sibghatullah Shahji, have also been identified in reporting concerning the organization’s activities and subsequent legal cases. Their detention has contributed to a debate about whether legal proceedings are being used primarily as criminal accountability or are also affecting legitimate political dissent.
Women have played an especially visible role in the movement. Families of missing persons, female activists and female organizers have frequently appeared at protests and sit-ins. This has broadened the movement’s public image beyond conventional male-dominated political mobilization.
Crackdown, Arrests and Legal Controversies
Relations between the committee and Pakistani authorities deteriorated sharply during 2025. Several prominent organizers were detained, and cases were registered against activists. According to rights organizations and BYC statements, the arrests represented a crackdown on peaceful political activity. Authorities, meanwhile, have argued that legal proceedings concern public-order and security-related offences.
The legal controversy intensified in 2026. Several detained leaders remained in custody, and reporting indicated that cases were being pursued under Pakistan’s Anti-Terrorism Act. Amnesty International, as reported by the Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development, called in March 2026 for the release of detained activists and raised concerns regarding liberty, fair trial, freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly.
In June 2026, an anti-terrorism court sentenced Mahrang Baloch and Sibghatullah Shahji to life imprisonment in connection with the death of a paramilitary soldier during the Gwadar protest. Reuters reported that the court found them guilty of murder and terrorism-related charges, while their defence and human-rights critics challenged the proceedings and indicated that an appeal would be pursued. Pakistani officials defended the verdict as a judicial response to violence.
The case illustrates the importance of distinguishing allegation, prosecution and conviction. A court verdict represents a judicial finding, but the broader political interpretation of that verdict remains contested. Supporters of the defendants have raised due-process concerns, while government representatives have argued that accountability for violence is necessary regardless of political identity.
The 2026 Debate Over Detention and Trial Proceedings
By mid-2026, the detention of senior organizers had become one of the most important issues surrounding the movement. Reporting indicated that several leaders had been imprisoned since March 2025. The committee continued to campaign publicly despite the absence of much of its senior leadership.
In June, detained leaders reportedly staged a sit-in inside Huda Jail in Quetta over what they described as a non-transparent or “faceless” trial. They demanded open proceedings and greater access to lawyers and family members. Lawyers in Quetta also protested against video-link proceedings and raised concerns about judicial transparency.
Human-rights groups have similarly criticized the reported procedures. The Human Rights Council of Balochistan described the proceedings as problematic and raised concerns about due process and access to legal representation. These are advocacy-group assessments rather than independent judicial findings, and they should therefore be understood in that context.
The dispute has broader significance beyond the individuals involved. If political activists are prosecuted under counterterrorism legislation, the central question becomes how a state should distinguish between peaceful political mobilization and conduct that genuinely constitutes terrorism or incitement to violence. Conversely, when protests become violent and people are killed or injured, authorities have a legitimate responsibility to investigate and prosecute those individually responsible.
A sustainable resolution therefore depends on transparent evidence, fair judicial procedures and a clear distinction between peaceful political advocacy and criminal violence.
Why the Movement Matters in Balochistan
The importance of the movement extends beyond its organizational structure. It has become a channel through which many Baloch families communicate grievances that they believe are not adequately addressed through conventional institutions.
Its prominence also reflects the changing nature of political mobilization. Social media, livestreams, independent reporting and diaspora networks allow local protests to reach international audiences rapidly. The committee has used these tools to publicise statements, demonstrations and alleged rights violations.
At the same time, the movement operates in one of Pakistan’s most security-sensitive regions. Balochistan has experienced attacks by separatist militant organizations, including groups that have targeted civilians, security personnel and infrastructure. This security environment makes political mobilization especially contentious.
For general readers, the most balanced interpretation is therefore neither to portray the movement automatically as a militant organization nor to assume that every allegation made by its supporters is established fact. Its stated identity is that of a rights and political movement, while the Pakistani state has raised serious security-related allegations. Evaluating particular incidents requires evidence, court records, independent investigations and credible reporting.
Yakjehti Committee (BYC) and the Future of Baloch Politics
The future of the movement will depend partly on the legal outcomes facing its leadership and partly on broader political developments in Balochistan. The imprisonment of prominent organizers could weaken central coordination, but the movement’s grassroots structure may allow activism to continue.
The organization’s experience also demonstrates that Baloch politics cannot be understood exclusively through the lens of armed insurgency. There are multiple political currents within Balochistan, ranging from constitutional politics and rights activism to nationalist movements and armed separatism. Treating all of these currents as identical can obscure important differences.
For Pakistan, the challenge is to address legitimate grievances while maintaining public security and territorial integrity. For activists, the challenge is to maintain peaceful mobilisation while clearly distancing themselves from violence and ensuring that political advocacy does not become associated with attacks on civilians or security personnel.
For students and researchers, the movement provides an important case study in contemporary South Asian politics. It connects questions of federalism, human rights, political mobilization, civil-military relations, digital activism, counterterrorism legislation and minority or regional identity.
Ultimately, the significance of the committee will be determined not only by demonstrations or court cases but by whether the underlying grievances in Balochistan receive credible institutional responses. Transparent investigations into alleged disappearances, effective judicial remedies, protection of peaceful assembly and equal application of the law could reduce tensions. Likewise, any genuine acts of violence should be investigated through due process and individual accountability rather than collective assumptions.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Yakjehti Committee
What is the Yakjehti Committee?
The Yakjehti Committee, commonly called the Baloch Yakjehti Committee or BYC, is a Baloch rights and political movement associated with campaigns concerning enforced disappearances, alleged human-rights violations, political freedoms and accountability in Balochistan, Pakistan.
Who is the leader of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee?
Dr Mahrang Baloch is widely recognized as the movement’s leading public figure and has served as its chief organizer. Other organizers have also played important roles in its campaigns and organizational activities.
Why was the movement formed?
Its roots are associated with Baloch activism against alleged state abuses, including disappearances and killings. According to Mahrang Baloch’s account, the organization evolved from the Bramsh Yakjehti Committee as the movement expanded its focus to broader human-rights concerns.
What are the main demands of the movement?
Its campaigns have primarily focused on accountability for alleged human-rights abuses, information about missing persons, investigations into alleged extrajudicial killings, protection of peaceful political activity and greater attention to Baloch political grievances.
Why have BYC leaders been arrested?
Pakistani authorities have pursued criminal and terrorism-related cases against several leaders, particularly following protests and incidents involving alleged violence. Supporters and rights organizations have disputed aspects of the prosecutions and raised concerns about due process, while authorities have defended the proceedings as legitimate legal action.
Is the Yakjehti Committee an armed organization?
The committee describes itself as a peaceful rights movement and denies militant affiliations. Pakistani authorities have made allegations concerning links between the movement and militant or hostile networks. These competing claims should be distinguished from independently established facts about particular individuals or incidents.
Conclusion
The Yakjehti Committee has become a significant part of the contemporary debate over human rights, political representation and security in Balochistan. Its rise reflects longstanding grievances concerning disappearances, alleged extrajudicial killings, political restrictions and demands for accountability. Its marches and public campaigns have brought these issues to national and international attention.
At the same time, the movement exists within a region affected by serious militant violence and separatist conflict. That environment has produced intense disagreement over the boundary between peaceful political activism and security-related offences. The arrests and convictions of senior organizers have consequently become part of a much larger debate about civil liberties, counterterrorism and the rule of law.
A constructive understanding requires acknowledging these competing perspectives while relying on evidence, transparent legal procedures and credible independent reporting. Whatever one’s political position, the long-term stability of Balochistan is likely to depend on both effective security and meaningful mechanisms through which citizens can seek justice, express grievances and participate peacefully in public life.