13 February 2005	Sunday	03 Muharram 1426

KARACHI, Feb 12: Sardar Akhtar Mengal, a former chief minister of Balochistan, has said that the complete strike observed in Balochistan on Saturday was a referendum against the military rulers.

The strike was observed on the call of a four-party alliance in Balochistan and the Pashtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party against the deployment of troops, setting up of cantonments, dislodging of local population in Sui, planned military operation, arrest of political workers, house-to-house search, a lady doctor's humiliation, mega projects aimed against Baloch people, government's indifferent attitude towards the eight-year-long drought and merger of levies into police.

"By observing a complete strike, the people have expressed their determination that they would not accept any decision against their national interests and would resist every move by the army to suppress or take over Balochistan.

Mr Mengal, who is also leader of Balochistan National Party, was addressing a joint protest rally of Baloch Yakjehti Council, Baloch National Party and Baloch Students Organization's Solidarity Council outside the Karachi Press Club on Saturday.

Others who addressed the participants were senior politician Mairaj Mohammad Khan, Yusuf Masti Khan and Zahid Hussain Baloch.