Mahrang Baloch, who was sentenced to life imprisonment by an Anti-Terrorism Court in Quetta on Monday for her role in the killing of FC soldier Shabbir Baloch, has found an unlikely defender thousands of miles away — Israeli media.
Soon after the verdict was announced, The Times of Israel published a prominent article criticizing Mahrang Baloch’s conviction and portraying the sentence as a miscarriage of justice. The publication argued that Mahrang, who became a doctor through a state scholarship, was being punished despite her activism and public profile.
The article openly defended Mahrang Baloch and questioned the court’s decision, adding to a growing chorus of support from sections of the Indian media that have also criticized the verdict.
The development has once again brought international attention to Mahrang Baloch, who has for years been promoted by foreign media outlets, advocacy groups and international organizations as a leading voice on Balochistan.
The support from Israeli media has also revived debate over the relationship between international advocacy campaigns and terrorists narratives surrounding Balochistan. Earlier this year, during the Israel-Iran conflict, social media accounts linked to the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) and the banned Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) openly celebrated Israeli military action against Iran and called for further strikes.
For many, the latest article in The Times of Israel is another example of how foreign platforms continue to champion Mahrang Baloch despite her conviction in a terrorism case involving the killing of a security official.
Over the years, Mahrang Baloch has been nominated for international awards and featured extensively in foreign media, including Western and Israeli outlets.A broader political and propaganda ecosystem that has sought to shape international perceptions about Balochistan and sought support for Banned terrorist Organization and their soft face The Baloch Yakjethei Committee, led by Mahrang Baloch.
Israeli and Indian platforms and advocacy networks have amplified content linked to BYC activists and banned terror groups, helping project their narratives to global audiences. A foreign media outlets, including Israeli and Western platforms, have consistently portrayed her as a symbol of resistance while paying little attention to victims of terrorism and violence in Balochistan.
she advanced the objectives of militant groups through advocacy, propaganda and political mobilization.she used the language of human rights and enforced disappearances to shape a narrative that consistently portrayed the Pakistani state and its security institutions as oppressors while downplaying or ignoring violence carried out by militant organisations.
Her narrative was to create sympathy for terrorism causes, deepened ethnic divisions and provided ideological cover for groups responsible for attacks on civilians, labourers and security personnel in Balochistan.
According to the court verdict, Mahrang Baloch and co-accused Sibghatullah were actively involved in an unlawful gathering and shared a common intention in the events that led to the killing of FC soldier Shabbir Baloch. The court subsequently sentenced both to life imprisonment.
