QUETTA, Sept 6: A division bench of the Balochistan High Court has ordered the provincial home department to provide medical treatment to Munir Ahmed Mengal, who is in detention under the Maintenance of Public Order-3.

The mother of Munir appeared before the court on Thursday and submitted that her son was seriously ill, but he was not getting any medical treatment.

The bench comprised Chief Justice Amanullah Khan Yasinzai and Justice Akhtar Zaman Malghani. A petition challenging the detention order says that he was arrested by intelligence agencies at the Karachi airport on April 4, 2006, and released on August 4, 2007, but detained again on the same day under MPO 3 for one month.

The advocate general of Balochistan placed before the court the detention order stating that the petitioner was involved in anti-state activities. He said Mr Mengal’s detention had been extended for another month.

He said Mr Mengal was running the Baloch Voice website. The home department letter accused him of having close links with the outlawed Baloch Liberation Army.

The hearing was adjourned till September 10.