January 12, 2007	Friday	Zilhaj 21, 1427

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KARACHI, Jan 11: Security forces are reported to have moved into Wadh, the native village of former Balochistan chief minister Sardar Ataullah Mengal, apparently to take part in a crackdown on suspected militants.

This was stated by a leader of the central body of the Balochistan National Party, who requested anonymity, on Thursday. He said he feared that he would be arrested soon.

According to the BNP leader, the government appeared to be planning to launch a major operation in the area.

The government, he claimed, had already besieged the area and a search operation was under way on the pretext of rounding up suspected anti-state elements.

He said information about the movement of troops was conveyed to him by telephone by Sardar Ataullah Mengal, who is in Wadh. Quoting Sardar Mengal, the BNP leader said security forces had been deployed from Wadh to Ornach.

He said most of the BNP-M’s top leaders had been put behind bars. He said that hundreds of the party’s workers had also been detained from various areas of Balochistan.