KARACHI: Central leader and ex-MNA of the Balochistan National Party (BNP) Sardar Abdul Rauf Mengal has appealed to the Supreme Court and Balochistan High Court to take suo motu notice of the kidnapping of people and dumping of mutilated bodies in Balochistan.

Speaking to journalists at the Karachi Press Club on Thursday, the BNP leader alleged that personnel of law enforcement and intelligence agencies had abducted Laljan Baloch — former chief of the Balochistan Students Organisation and one of the central leaders of his party, from Uthal on Wednesday and moved him to an unknown place.

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Mr Mengal was flanked by party colleagues Qasim Ronjh and Hameed Sajna.

“If a Baloch is wanted in a case, he should be tried in a court,” he said, adding that journalists, lawyers, doctors and people of every school of thought were being kidnapped and killed, not just Baloch activists.

“Sanctity of ‘chadar and chardevari’ is being violated in the garb of search operations,” he said and criticised those “still dancing to the tune of democracy”.

Mr Mengal alleged that in the past 18 months 162 mutilated bodies had been found and 218 people were killed in targeted attacks. About 3,000 people were still missing.

Answering a question, he said the issue of Balochistan could only be resolved politically.

Mr Mengal was of the opinion that the ongoing operation in Balochistan was the result of corruption and plundering of provincial resources.

He said the situation in the province was similar to that of East Pakistan, just before the creation of Bangladesh.

Published in Dawn, October 30th, 2014