Bail granted: Ghazain Marri walks out of prison

Says he will take a political decision based on Balochistan’s interest

QUETTA: The Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) released Ghazain Marri after the prosecutor delivered his closing argument during Wednesday’s hearing.

ATC judge Dawood Nasir granted Marri bail and directed him to submit a surety of Rs300,000 in connection with the case.

Special Prosecutor General Zahid Ali and Marri’s lawyer Arbab Tahir had both offered their closing arguments to the court, after which the court decided to release Marri on bail.



Marri, while addressing the media in Quetta upon his release, said, “While I was in jail, whatever the provincial government did is in front of everyone and it highlights the government’s weakness.”

Responding to a question about law and order, he said, “The 18th amendment granted the provincial government special powers. However they [the officials] are only interested in their own prosperity. They do not care about the people of Balochistan and are not even aware of the special powers granted by the amendment.”

“Yes, there are issues in Balochistan but the government has made no effort to even try and address those issues. They just keep making claims on television to keep the public distracted.”

Responding to another question about the insurgency in Balochistan, he said that the province has faced this problem since the times of Ayub Khan and Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto. However, he admitted that it has increased now.



“Enemies will always take advantage of the disunity among the people and if we cannot stop foreign-fuelled terrorism in the province, we can at least review what the provincial government is doing to prevent it.”

Answering a query on his political career Marri said, “I have not decided yet, but will come to a decision that is in the interest of the people.”

Marri returned to Pakistan on September 22 after ending an 18 year-long self-exile but was arrested at the Quetta International airport on his arrival.

He was nominated in the case of Balochistan High Court Judge Justice Nawaz Marri’s assassination and was also nominated for attacking a Levies Station in Kohlu.

He was granted a bail but the government has lodged another case against him for financially supporting armed groups.