An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Karachi deferred on Wednesday the indictment of Balochistan National Party — Mengal (BNP - Mengal) Chief Sardar Akhtar Mengal till June 3, 2008.

The adjournment came as court was told that defendant Sardar Akhtar Mengal was hospitalised.

The former Chief Minister of Balochistan is charged with kidnapping two army personnel, taking them hostage, and torturing them with intention to kill at his home in Darakshan Karachi, on April 5, 2006.

ATC Judge Ahmed Nawaz Sheikh adjourned hearing till June 3 for indictment of the defendant.

According to the Prosecution, Sardar Akhtar Mengal, along with his employees kidnapped army Havaldar Qurban Hussain and Lance Naik Fayaz Ahmed and made them hostage with intention to kill them when army personnel were going to perform their Intelligence duty.

The abductees were released after siege of the house of Akhtar Mengal situated at Darakshan area Karachi by the law enforcement agencies.

The co-accused in the case, Nasarullah Mengal, Ghulam Hyder Langah alias Chappar, Mehboob Ali Satti, and Ghulam Qadir, were earlier sentenced to an aggregate of 45 years in prison by an anti-terrorism court in Karachi on December 9, 2006, having found them guilty of taking two army men hostage and torturing them in April last year.

The appeal against the conviction of appellants was also pending in Sindh High Court.