Release of Baloch Leader

Mr. Sardar Akhtar Mengal is former chief minister of Balochistan province and he is head of Balochistan Nationalist Party. Akhtar Mengal has been detained and kept in an isolated cell in a prison in Karachi since November 2006, and denied justice.

Mr. Mengal's Illegal detention and unnecessary delays in his case have exposed the inequality and courts' inability to act without being influenced by the executive in Pakistan.

Mr. Mengal has not been arrested on charges of corruption, nor misuse of power. He is not an industrialist, not a bank defaulter and isn't involved in any land scam, like many pro-establishment politicians of Pakistan.

Article 25 of the Pakistan's Constitution says: "All citizens are equal before law and are entitled to equal protection of law…" According to Article 5 of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination: "States parties undertake to prohibit and to eliminate racial discrimination in all its forms and to guarantee the right of everyone, without distinction as to race, colour, or national or ethnic origin, to equality before the law, notably in the enjoyment of the following rights: (a) The right to equal treatment before the tribunals and all other organs administering justice…"

However, in the last five years the Baloch people have not been treated according to national and international laws. Neither constitutional guarantees nor any court of law has protected their fundamental rights.

Akhtar Mengal is not being tried in an open court and on the wishes of the executive he is produced in the court in a humiliating manner.

Mr Mengal and 500 other Balochistan National Party activists were arrested in November 2006 before President Musharraf's visit to Balochistan to prevent the BNP from holding a peaceful long march against the military operation, illegal arrests and forced disappearances.

We appeal through this petition that rulers in Pakistan must abide by the domestic and international covenants, respect the rights of national minorities and stop intimidating and dishonouring the Baloch and their political representatives. There should be open and fair trial, which is also in the interest of the government.

The Baloch should not be discriminated, they are part of the federation and have equal rights according to the Constitution.