QUETTA, March 15: The Balochistan National Party (Mengal) has condemned the detention of Baloch leader Nawab Khair Bakhsh Marri for a few hours on Tuesday in Karachi, stating that the action was aimed at provoking the Baloch masses.

BNP-M secretary-general Habib Jalib Baloch claimed at a press conference at on Wednesday that 500 Bugti and Marri tribesmen had been killed during the military operation in Dera Bugti and Kohlu.

He said hundreds of innocent tribesmen had been injured in bombing by aircraft and shelling in the areas since December 17.

About 1,000 political workers had been kept in illegal detention during the past three years, he said.

Mr Baloch said the BNP-M would hold protest rallies from March 18 to 22 in Hub, Khuzdar, Kalat, Mastung, Nushki, Dalbandin, Nokandhi, Gwadar, Panjgur, Turbat, Sibi and Dera Murad Jamali to condemn Nawab Marri’s arrest and the ongoing military operation.

He said the Balochistan issue pertained to political and national rights of the Baloch, whose political struggle had a long history which could not be suppressed by military operations.

He said the government had failed to achieve its desired results through the operation over the past three months and the aggressors would not succeed to subjugate the Baloch masses in future also.

He said Nawab Marri, Nawab Akbar Bugti and Sardar Ataullah Mengal were not tribal chieftains but political figures, who could not continue the struggle against state oppression without the backing of people.

Mr Baloch said military operations, detentions, raids, character assassination of leadership and other oppressive methods would not subdue the voices of patriotic forces which had rendered great sacrifices against oppressors.

He said the only way to get Balochistan out of political chaos was to recognise the national rights of the province’s people and give it powers to control its resources.

He asked why the remaining 26 districts in the province lacked basic amenities if the three sardars were obstacle in implementation of development programme in Kohlu and Dera Bugti, as claimed by the government.