QUETTA, Dec 4: The Balochistan government released on Wednesday 12 leaders and activists of defunct religious organizations from different jails of the province.

The provincial home department issued release orders of 13 persons belonging to defunct Sipah-i-Sahaba, Tehrik Jafria Pakistan, Lashkar Taiba and Jash-i-Mohammad on the directives of Chief Minister Jam Mir Mohammad Yousaf.

However, 12 persons were released from Quetta, Khuzdar, Zhob and Nushki jails. A leader of Sipah-i-Sahaba, Maulana Ata-ur-Rehman Suni, could not be released as he is also involved in a murder case.

Five persons were released from Quetta late evening after completing their legal documents. They include captain Mohammad Jan Bangash (retired), vice president of the TJP, Balochistan; Maulana Mohammad Hassan Zakri Baltistani, Haji Ali Raza Bunyadi, Liaquat Ali (TJP) and Abdul Aleem Sasoli (SSP).

The others released from Khuzdar, Zhob, Mastung and Nushki jails are: Maulana Mohammad Tahir, Mama Abdullah, Hafiz Anwar Jan, Maulana Mohammad Saleh, Abdul Rehman Sasoli (SSP), Haji Ahmed Bakhsh (Jash-i-Mohammad) and Hamid Mehmood of Lashkar Taiba.

They had been detained under MPO 16 in May this year after banning various sectarian religious organizations and parties by President Gen Pervez Musharraf.

The members of various political parties in the Balochistan Assembly, including the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal, had demanded in the first session that all detained leaders and workers of the defunct religious parties be released before Eid.

The newly-elected chief minister issued orders for the release of all such prisoners.

A large number of leaders and workers of the defunct religious parties were present outside the Quetta district jail to receive their party leaders and workers.

In the meantime, Maulana Mohammad Hassan Zakri Baltistani and Liaquat Ali thanked the chief minister for their release before Eid