QUETTA, Jan 17: Justice Noor Mohammad Miskanzai of the Balochistan High Court accepted the bail application of Shahzain Bugti, president of the Balochistan chapter of the Jamhoori Watan Party, and his 26 guards and ordered their release against surety bonds of Rs500,000 each.

Paramilitary forces had arrested Mr Bugti and his 26 guards on Dec 22 when they were returning to Quetta from the border town of Chaman. A huge quantity of illegal arms and ammunition were allegedly found in his vehicles.

An Anti-Terrorist Court had shifted the case to a civil court, observing that it did not come under its jurisdiction.

Then a sessions court rejected the bail application of Mr Bugti and his guards.

Talking to reporters, Mr Bugti's lawyer Wishisher Nath Kohli said the JWP leader and the security guards would be released when security bonds would be submitted after receiving a copy of the court order.

After his release, he said, Mr Bugti would take a decision about his Jan 28 long march to Dera Bugti.