QUETTA, May 7: A division bench of the Balochistan High Court directed the federal and provincial governments on Tuesday to refrain from restraining Nawabzada Talal Akbar Bugti, chief of his own faction of the Jamhoori Watan Party, from entering Dera Bugti district and settling there.

The directive was issued by a BHC bench, comprising Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa and Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan, on a petition filed by Mr Bugti.

He has stated in the petition that he is contesting election from NA-265 (Harnai-Dera Bugti-Kohlu) but is being deterred by agencies under the control of the ministries of defence and interior from visiting the constituency.

He said it violated the article 15 of the constitution which protected the right of every citizen to move freely anywhere in the country. Also, it defied the Supreme Court’s order of March 20 relating to Dera Bugti and Kohlu districts.

The court observed that according to the SC order, the petitioner, other candidates and voters of the constituency should not be desisted from participating in the election.

The court issued notices to officials of the Election Commission of Pakistan and its Balochistan chapter, the ministries, deputy attorney general, provincial chief secretary, home secretary and advocate general in this regard. The hearing was adjourned till May 14.