By Staff Reporter
GWADAR: A seven-year-old boy in Gwadar has been charged with terrorism for allegedly sharing a video of a detained human rights activist’s speech on TikTok, a case that has drawn sharp condemnation from Pakistan’s leading human rights organisation and raised questions about the use of anti-terrorism laws against children.
The case, reported by the Dawn newspaper on Friday, was filed by the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) in Makran. It accuses the minor of disseminating a speech delivered in Turbat by Gulzar Dost, a human rights activist who has been in detention for the past two weeks.
Authorities allege that the act violates the Anti Terrorism Act because Dost is listed in the Fourth Schedule by the provincial government, a classification for individuals suspected of terrorism or sectarian activities that restricts their movements and actions.
Officials said the boy shared the “controversial speech” on TikTok, the popular short-video platform, prompting the CTD to register the case. The agency has not addressed the unusual decision to apply terrorism charges to a minor, an action that has fueled widespread concern.
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) swiftly denounced the move. In a statement, the commission said it was “appalled” by reports that a minor had been presented before an anti-terrorism court on charges of “terrorism” for allegedly sharing the speech of a rights activist on social media.
The HRCP described the incident as a “misuse” of anti-terror laws, one that reflected a “gross violation of child rights and due process.” “We demand the immediate withdrawal of charges, a thorough review of the FIR and accountability for the officials responsible for this alarming overreach,” the HRCP added, referring to the First Information Report that initiated the legal action.
The case unfolds in Gwadar, a coastal city in Balochistan province that has become a hub for ambitious development projects like the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Yet the region remains a flashpoint for unrest, with activists frequently highlighting issues such as enforced disappearances, extrajudicial detentions, and curbs on free expression.
Dost, the detained activist, is among those who have spoken out on such matters, though his placement in the Fourth Schedule has cast him as a security risk in the eyes of the state. Pakistan has employed anti-terrorism laws in the past to address activities on social media, but targeting a seven-year-old marks a striking escalation.
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