May 03, 2008	Saturday	Rabi-us-Sani 26, 1429

QUETTA, May 2: The Balochistan High Court on Friday exonerated BNP-Mengal leaders Sardar Akhtar Mengal and Habib Jalib Baloch from treason charges.

A single-judge bench of Chief Justice Amanullah Khan Yasinzai ordered the departments concerned to remove the names of the two leaders from the FIR registered by three police stations.

The New Sariab police station, Sariab police station and Civil Lines police station had on August 30, 2006, registered the FIR against Akhtar Mengal, Habib Jalib and others for inciting people against the state at a public meeting after the Ghaibana Namaz-i-Janaza for Nawab Akbar Bugti.

Advocate Habib Jalib, who besides being an applicant was also counsel for Sardar Mengal during the hearing rejected charges levelled by the prosecution and said that they had been implicated in false cases.

Sardar Mengal was acquitted in one case and Habib Jalib in two cases. On the request of the applicant-cum-counsel, the court adjourned till May 9 the hearing in four other cases against the BNP-M leaders.

An anti-terrorism court has already exonerated Senator Shahid Bugti and former senator Amanullah Kanrani from treason cases registered on August 30, 2006.