LONDON, Feb 12: Hyarbyar Marri has paid a rich tribute to the British legal system and expressed his gratitude to the Pakistan government ‘for opposing the prosecution’.

In a statement to media, Mr Marri said: “The new democratic government of Pakistan opposed our prosecution and confirmed that the terrorism charges against me in Pakistan, which led to our arrest in London, were fabricated by Musharraf’s henchmen.”

Reacting to the verdict, human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell who campaigned for Balochistan rights along with the two Baloch leaders prior to their arrest, and who stood bail for Mr Baloch, said: “Marri and Baloch were set up by Musharraf’s agents.”

He said that the view had been reinforced by the Pakistan government and its interior adviser announced in late 2008, the terror charges against Mr Marri in Pakistan had been dropped; “stating that the case against him was flawed and had been politically orchestrated by the Musharraf regime. This discredits the whole basis on which Marri and Balach were charged in London”.

Faiz Baloch who is a human rights campaigner and Hayrbyar Marri who is a former MP and a provincial minister thought Gen (retd) Musharraf had blackmailed the British government into acting against them.

“Musharraf threatened to cut off all cooperation with the UK in the war on terror unless we were arrested,” speculated Mr Marri.