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Travel ban on Baloch leaders

B. Muralidhar Reddy

Issue to be raised in National Parliament

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has imposed a ban of foreign travel on five Baloch political leaders, including a Member of the National Assembly Abdul Rauf Mengal. Their names have been placed on exit control list (ECL).

For several months now, Baloch nationalists have been up in arms against the Federal government for the alleged step-motherly treatment of the province and the decision of the Pakistani military to establish three more cantonments.

Abdul Rauf Mengal, Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M) parliamentary leader in the National Assembly; Mir Kazim Ali Bugti, Dera Bugti district nazim, Ali Gill Bijrani, Kohlu district nazim, Amanullah Kanrani, Jamhoori Watan Party central information secretary and former Senator and Sardar Sher Ali Mazari, eldest son of Baloch nationalist leader Sher Baz Mazari, have been placed on the ECL.

Talking to the local media, Mr. Mengal condemned the decision and said the Opposition parties would raise this issue in the National Assembly on Tuesday.

"I will also take this issue up with international human rights organisations and move the court against the move," he said.

Mr. Mengal was put under arrest early April at the Karachi residence of BNP-M leader Attaullah Mengal, on charges of "kidnapping and torturing" officials of Pakistani army and intelligence agencies.

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