An anti-terrorism court in Balochistan's Loralai district on Friday dismissed an application for bail filed by Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) lawmaker Sardar Masood Ali Khan Luni, police sources said.

The verdict had been reserved earlier and was announced today by Judge Mohammad Ali Kakar of the ATC.

After the dismissal of the plea, Luni, who is an MPA from the ruling BAP, was arrested from the court premises and shifted to the Loralai District Jail, according to sources.

A case was registered at the Dukki police station against Luni and his associates for the alleged abduction in early 2018 of tribal leader Sardar Mir Ghous Kibzai. The First Information Report (FIR) was registered under Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA), 1997, on a complaint of Kibzai's family.

Luni, who is the parliamentary secretary on forests and wildlife, had a dispute with Kibzai over a coal mine in Dukki, Levies sources told DawnNewsTV.

Prior to today's development, the MPA had resolved the matter with Kibzai in accordance with tribal customs with the latter announcing through tribal leaders that he had pardoned Luni.

However, because of the FIR containing the ATA clause, the reconciliation was not acceptable in the eyes of the state and the court ordered his arrest.

Later in the day, a notification was issued by the home secretary of Balochistan declaring the residence of Loralai Additional Deputy Commissioner (revenue) (ADCR) a sub-jail for 30 days.

The home secretary ordered that Luni be shifted from the Loralai District Jail to the ADCR's residence, which has been declared a sub-jail due to medical reasons, according to the notice.

Loralai District Jail superintendent Abdullah Khan Kakar confirmed that the arrested MPA had been transferred to the sub-jail under strict security. Jail staff has been appointed at the residence, he added.