Senate welcomes release of Baloch rebel commander Dr Allah Nazar's family

Senate had taken notice of the issue on November 1, sought explanation from govt

The Senate has welcomed the release of a top Baloch separatist militant commander's family and other women and children who were detained last month and appreciated the collective efforts made for this purpose.

Security forces had arrested three women and three children last month – including the family of Dr Allah Nazar, the chief of the outlawed Baloch Liberation Front (BLF) – while they were travelling illegally into Pakistan from neighbouring Afghanistan.

According to a statement issued by the Senate secretariat on Saturday, the upper house of the parliament had taken notice of the issue of the missing women and children, who were reportedly in Quetta for medical treatment.



The Senate had directed the government to take measures for finding the women and children and brief the House on the issue.

On November 1, Senator Dr Jehanzeb Jamaldini on behalf of Senator Farhatullah Babar, Muhammad Usman Khan Kakar, Sardar Muhammad Azam Khan Musakhel and himself, drew the attention of Minister of State for Interior Affairs Talal Chaudhry to the issue.

The Senate chairman asked the minister to explain the government's stance on the violation of Articles 4, 9, 10, 10A and 14 of the Constitution in this case.

Rabbani also took note of the letter, written by the interior ministry's joint secretary, to make an attempt to declare the case a provincial matter.



In the Senate sitting on November 2,  Talal Chaudhry admitted that the women were detained by the law-enforcement agencies during an attempt to illegally cross the border.

He informed the House that the missing persons were in the custody of the law-enforcement agencies and being investigated in connection with the law and order situation in Balochistan.

Rabbani pointed out that there was a contradiction as previously the House was informed that they had been arrested for illegally crossing the border but were now being investigated for the unrest in the province.

"How can innocent children sabotage the law and order situation? There is a contradiction in the stance," Rabbani was quoted as saying.

Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal issued a statement that there was no contradiction as it had been observed many times that people who illegally crossed the border were linked to unrest in the country.  "As soon as the investigation is completed, we will take the House into confidence," he added.