The Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC-III), following the withdrawal of charges by the Sindh government, here on Friday ordered the release of the Balochistan National Party (BNP-M) chief Sardar Akhtar Mengal in the kidnapping case of security personnel.

The BNP-M chief and former Balochistan chief minister was being prosecuted for kidnapping two Army personnel, making them hostage and torturing them with an intention to kill them at his house at Darakhshan in Karachi on April 5, 2006.

According to the prosecution, Sardar Akhtar Mengal, along with his employees, kidnapped Havaldar Qurban Hussain and Lance Naik Fayyaz Ahmed and made them hostage when they were going to perform their duties.

The victims were released after the law enforcement agencies laid siege to Akhtar Mengal’s house. Special Public Prosecutor Mazhar Qayyum filed the application under Section 494 (CrPC), submitting that the Sindh government had withdrawn the case against the defendant and the state was no longer interested in continuing the proceedings.

ATC Judge Ahmed Nawaz Sheikh, allowing the application, discharged the case against Sardar Mengal and ordered his release provided he was not wanted in any other case. The co-accused of the case, Nasrullah Mengal, Ghulam Hyder Langah alias Chappar, Mehboob Ali Satti and Ghulam Qadir, were earlier sentenced to an aggregate 45 years in prison by another anti-terrorism court in Karachi on Dec 9, 2006, which found them guilty on the charges. The appeal against the conviction of the appellants was also pending in the SHC.

The Balochistan government had already withdrawn all cases registered against the BNP-M chief and other political leaders. Following the withdrawal of the case, the Sindh government freed Sardar Akhtar Mengal. Home Minister Zulfiqar Ali Mirza himself brought the order of the release to the Liaquat National Hospital, where Mengal was detained because of ill health.

Large number jubilant supporters of the BNP-M and other parties were waiting outside the hospital to receive the Baloch leader.

The BNP leader was brought to the Central Prison, Karachi, for fulfilling the formalities. During his short stay there, he met other jail inmates. Later, he was driven to the Mengal House in a procession.

AP adds: Talking to reporters, Mengal called his release a victory of democracy. “We never compromised on our principles with a dictator and did not bow before Musharraf.” “But my release is not an issue. The issue is the thousands of people who are missing and under detention of the law enforcement agencies,” he said. “Our struggle is for the autonomy of the province and Baloch control over our resources.”