BYC's Gulzadi Baloch given life sentence in 2022 murder case

A court has sentenced Gulzadi Baloch, identified in reports as a member of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee, to life imprisonment in connection with a murder case from 2022, Balochistan Pulse reported on Tuesday. The outlet's headline described the sentence as the outcome of the 2022 case, but the full article was not retrievable, and the standfirst repeated only the headline.

The available material did not name the court, the victim, the location of the killing, or the date on which the sentence was handed down. It was also not clear from the reports whether the defendant was in custody when the sentence was announced or whether the conviction is subject to appeal. Skardu Times could not independently confirm the verdict.

The Baloch Yakjehti Committee, which the reports referred to by its initials BYC, rejected the life sentence. According to Balochwarna News, the committee alleged procedural violations and judicial pressure in the trial. The statement carried by Balochwarna News did not specify which procedures the committee says were breached, which judicial authority it accuses of applying pressure, or what evidence it believes was mishandled.

Balochwarna News published only the group's rejection statement and did not include additional details of the trial or a copy of the court order. Balochistan Pulse's report likewise circulated without a full retrievable body, leaving readers with the headline and standfirst only. Neither outlet published the name of the defence counsel or the prosecution.

Skardu Times has contacted the Baloch Yakjehti Committee and the Balochistan government for comment and will update this report when further information becomes available.