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Pakistani rights activist Mahrang Baloch sentenced to life in prison
A Pakistani anti-terrorism court has sentenced prominent civil rights activist Mahrang Baloch and an associate to life in prison over the killing of a paramilitary soldier during a July 2024 protest, Reuters reported.
Baloch’s lawyer said he would appeal against the verdict.
Baloch, who has been detained since March 2025, has been a vocal opponent of enforced disappearances and alleged human rights violations in Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province, where ethnic separatists have waged a decades-long insurgency.
Human rights activists have criticised the trial, in which the accused were asked to appear via video link from prison but instead boycotted proceedings.
They said the life sentences against Baloch and Sibghatullah, another leader of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) advocacy group, could further erode trust in the state.
Balochistan government officials said the verdict announced on Monday followed a fair trial and proved its position that protesters who use violence and target state officials can be prosecuted as terrorists.
Sarfaraz Bugti, the chief minister of Balochistan province, said justice had been served for Sepoy Shabbir Baloch, who was killed by protesters while on duty in the port city of Gwadar.
“Those who take the law into their own hands under the guise of peaceful protest, promote violence, and target state officials are in fact facilitators of terrorism,” Bugti said.
The Quetta anti-terrorism court said it found Baloch and Sibghatullah guilty of murder and terrorism-related offences.
The court said Baloch had incited protesters to attack paramilitary personnel deployed at the protest and that eyewitness and medical evidence supported the prosecution case.
BYC organiser Lala Abdul Baloch called it a “faceless” trial and warned more Baloch youth would likely choose resistance.
“When you close access to the corridors of justice then more people will rise up against the state,” he said, adding the group has called a province-wide strike to protest the court’s decision.
Baloch’s lawyer, Israr Jattak, said on Wednesday the verdict would be challenged in the Balochistan High Court.
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Juma Khan Fateh surrenders to IEA forces in Badakhshan
According to the sources, Fateh’s remaining associates are expected to be disarmed, while IEA forces are set to establish full control over the area.
Juma Khan Fateh and his forces have surrendered to the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) in Nusay district of Badakhshan province following several days of pressure and encirclement, security sources told Ariana News.
Sources said increasing pressure on Fateh’s group left them with no option but to surrender. Fateh and his fighters reportedly laid down their weapons at positions held by IEA forces in Nusay.
Qari Fasihuddin Fitrat, the IEA’s Army Chief of Staff, had travelled to Nusay to oversee the situation and the operation against Fateh’s group.
According to the sources, Fateh’s remaining associates are expected to be disarmed, while IEA forces are set to establish full control over the area.
The reported surrender marks the latest development in the security situation in Nusay, although further details about the terms of the surrender and the number of fighters involved were not immediately available.
Fateh is a former IEA commander who became a dissident figure amid tensions with the Islamic Emirate’s leadership. He previously served as deputy governor of Zabul province before being removed from the position in June 2026. He later returned to Badakhshan and maintained an armed group in Nusay district.
Tensions between Fateh’s group and IEA forces escalated in August, with clashes reported in and around Nusay. The IEA deployed additional forces to the area, while Fateh’s fighters came under increasing pressure as government forces moved to encircle their positions. The confrontation also raised concerns because of Nusay’s proximity to the Tajikistan border.
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Afghanistan Supreme Court says rights of almost 119,000 women addressed over five years
The courts also handled 8,904 cases related to women’s maintenance and other associated rights, according to Hamza.
Afghanistan’s Supreme Court says the country’s courts have addressed the legal and Sharia-based rights of 118,869 women over the past five years.
Mansoor Ahmad Hamza, deputy spokesman for the Supreme Court, said the cases covered a range of issues, including inheritance, property, maintenance, documentation and other legal matters.
Hamza said courts handled 12,976 cases involving women’s inheritance and property rights during the five-year period. Another 9,021 inheritance-related cases were registered for information gathering and review.
He added that 18,750 cases involving the registration, verification and certification of women’s property and related documents were addressed, while 22,703 cases concerned the processing of inheritance and property documents.
The courts also handled 8,904 cases related to women’s maintenance and other associated rights, according to Hamza.
He said inheritance, property, dowry, maintenance and other rights granted to women under Islamic Sharia are recognized as established rights, and that courts are required to examine such cases carefully and impartially in accordance with Sharia and applicable laws.
Hamza added that judicial proceedings involving women’s rights will continue, with the aim of ensuring that eligible individuals receive their legal and religious rights and preventing those rights from being denied or lost.
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China’s special envoy for Afghanistan visits Türkiye, Pakistan and Afghanistan
According to China’s Foreign Ministry, Yue held consultations in Türkiye with Cihad Erginay, Director General for South Asia at the Turkish Foreign Ministry, discussing issues of mutual interest.
China’s Special Envoy for Afghanistan Affairs Yue Xiaoyong visited Türkiye, Pakistan and Afghanistan from July 30 to August 8, 2026, as Beijing continues diplomatic engagement on regional issues.
According to China’s Foreign Ministry, Yue held consultations in Türkiye with Cihad Erginay, Director General for South Asia at the Turkish Foreign Ministry, discussing issues of mutual interest.
During his visits to Pakistan and Afghanistan, Yue also held talks with officials from both countries on ways to improve and develop relations between Kabul and Islamabad.
China did not provide further details about the discussions.
The visit comes as relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan remain strained by ongoing security and political tensions, with both sides facing challenges in their bilateral ties.
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