December 30, 2006	Saturday	Zilhaj 08, 1427

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ISLAMABAD, Dec 29: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairperson and former prime minister Benazir Bhutto has condemned the arrest of Balochistan National Party (BNP-Mengal) chief Sardar Akhtar Mengal and said that it would deal a blow to the unity and integrity of the federation.

In a statement, she said the arrest of Akhtar Mengal would further alienate the people of Baluchistan from the centre.

The former chief minister and head of Balochistan National Party (Mengal) had been placed under house arrest for sometime and was sent to jail this week in a hostage case.

“The arrest and remand in judicial custody in a politically-motivated case of the leader of a democratic political party (BNM) that has representation in the federal and provincial legislatures will have serious consequences for the integrity of the federation,” she said.

She said Balochistan province had already been converted into a vast garrison and people there had been pushed into a situation of near insurgency because of the policies pursued by Islamabad.

“In the present volatile situation the arrest of Akhtar Mengal will only exacerbate the present tense political situation,” she said.

Ms Bhutto called for withdrawal of politically motivated cases and release of Akhtar Mengal and other political detainees. She also called for restoration of the Constitution as it existed before the 1999 military coup, end to military operation in Baluchistan and finding a political solution to the alienation of the Baloch people from the centre.