August 15, 2007	Wednesday	Sha’aban 1, 1428

QUETTA, Aug 14: Nawabzada Talal Akbar Bugti, chief of his own faction of Jamhoori Watan Party (JWP), has said that he had refused to leave Quetta and settle in Karachi as ‘ordered’ by an intelligence agency and appealed to the Supreme Court to take notice of unlawful threats.

In a statement issued here on Tuesday night, he said that the intelligence agency had sent a message through his close relative asking him to leave the Balochistan capital. But, Mr Bugti said he had told the messenger to inform the high-ups of the agency that no-one could compel him to leave the city and he would not accept the unconstitutional and unlawful demand.

The JWP leader said the Chief Justice of Pakistan, being the custodian of the Constitution, should take notice of the threat.

Mr Bugti also said that his son Shahzain Bugti was being kept in custody to exert pressure on him to mend fences with the government. He said he would never bow to pressure and to compromise the sacrifices of the Bugti tribe and the Baloch people.

BLACK DAY: The Baloch Students Organisation observed a black day on Tuesday and took out a procession demanding release of ‘missing persons’.

The protesters warned the government that they would adopt a new line of action if political activists were not released by August 20.

The protesters assembled at a hunger-strike camp outside the press club and chanted slogans in favour of the Baloch Liberation Army, Nawabzada Balach Marri and Mir Bramdagh Bugti. The procession passed through the Court Road, Manan chowk, Shara-i-Iqbal and Meezan chowk.

Women in black chadors and children and youths wearing black armbands took part in the rally. They held placards inscribed with slogans against President Gen Pervez Musharraf, Chief Minister Jam Mohammad Yousuf and intelligence agencies.

Spokeswomen for the Baloch Women Panel Shakar Bibi told newsmen that members of panel were observing a token hunger strike for the release of missing persons, including Saleem Baloch, Sher Mohammad Baloch, Khair Jan, Khan Mohammad, Qadir Baloch, Wahid Qambar, Ghulam Mohammad Baloch, Fazal Baloch and Faiz Baloch.

She condemned the military operation in Balochistan and alleged that hundreds of innocent people, including women and children had been killed and women were insulted by security forces and intelligence agencies during raids on houses of political activists.

She said that government excesses, injustices and denial of rights to the people of the province had forced the Baloch youths to take up arms in mountains and women to sit in hunger-strike camps. She added that the state oppression would not suppress the political movement.