7-Year-Old Baloch Boy Charged Under Pakistan's Anti-Terror Law, Sparking Criticism | Exclusive Details

Last Updated:August 02, 2025, 21:45 IST

The child's 'crime' is the sharing of a TikTok video featuring a speech by prominent human rights activist Gulzar Dost

Intelligence sources view the incident as indicative of a systemic misuse of such laws in Balochistan, primarily aimed at suppressing legitimate dissent. Representational pic/AFP

A disturbing incident in Gwadar has brought to the forefront grave concerns regarding the alleged misuse of counter-terrorism laws by Pakistan, particularly against minors and activists in Balochistan. A seven-year-old boy in the port city has reportedly been charged under Pakistan’s stringent Anti-Terrorism Act, his “crime" being the sharing of a TikTok video featuring a speech by prominent human rights activist Gulzar Dost.

The case, registered by the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) Makran, saw the young child presented before an anti-terrorism court, a move that has ignited widespread condemnation. Gulzar Dost, identified as a human rights activist rather than a militant, has himself been in detention for two weeks, underscoring what critics describe as a broader crackdown on dissent.

The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has swiftly and strongly condemned the charging of a child under anti-terror legislation, branding it a “gross violation of child rights" and a severe abuse of counter-terrorism laws. This sentiment is echoed by top intelligence sources, who view the incident as indicative of a systemic misuse of such laws in Balochistan, primarily aimed at suppressing legitimate dissent.

According to the sources, the case involving the minor raises serious questions about the state of human rights in Pakistan, particularly concerning the vulnerability of its own citizens to the very machinery designed for national security. There are growing accusations that Pakistan’s security apparatus, including its intelligence agencies, has transformed into an unaccountable tool of oppression, increasingly targeting minorities and Baloch activists.

The charging of the child under anti-terrorism provisions is seen as an illustration of this alleged overreach, highlighting a pattern where the state’s powerful agencies are purportedly employed to harass and silence voices critical of its policies, even extending to the targeting of minors.

Manoj Gupta

Group Editor, Investigations & Security Affairs, Network18

Group Editor, Investigations & Security Affairs, Network18

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First Published:

August 02, 2025, 21:45 IST

News world 7-Year-Old Baloch Boy Charged Under Pakistan's Anti-Terror Law, Sparking Criticism | Exclusive Details

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