KARACHI: Former Balochistan chief minister Sardar Akhtar Mengal, who heads the Balochistan National Party, was released on Friday after his release orders were issued by the Anti-Terrorist Court in the case of the manhandling of two intelligence personnel.
Talking to newsmen, Akhtar Mengal said that murderers of Nawab Akbar Bugti and other Baloch leaders were present in the presidency, assemblies and in the government. He demanded of the release all missing persons of Balochistan and demanded of an inquiry into the murder of Benazir Bhutto, Balach Marri as well as other Baloch leaders.
He termed his release as the defeat of dictatorship and the victory of democracy. Mengal said he was released without any deal, as the word deal does not exist in the Baloch dictionary. The party workers welcomed their leader when he came out of the hospital where he remained under medical treatment.
The BNP leader said Gawadar was belonged to Balochistan and would remained part of the province. He appealed to the politicians to give up following dictators and take decisions themselves. He thanked all politicians, media and civil society for making efforts and raising voice for his release.
Earlier, all cases registered against the nationalist leader in Balochistan were already withdrawn under the orders of Chief Minister Sardar Aslam Raeesani. Similar announcement was also made by Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani during his recent visit to Balochistan.
Akhtar Mengal, son of prominent politician Sardar Ataullah Mengal, was arrested in September 2006, along with around 700 other political workers, in a government crackdown in Balochistan. He was being held on terrorist charges and was reportedly produced in court in an iron cage.
In the meantime, Mengal's health deteriorated as such he was admitted in the Liaquat National Hospital in Karachi where he remained under treatment-plus-detention for about two months and two days. On getting orders in the hospital, he was not only declared released there but was also discharged from the hospital.
http://www.thepost.com.pk/MainNewsT.aspx?bdtl_id=10820&fb_id=2&catid=14 |
