QUETTA, Sept 14: A petition has been filed in the Balochistan High Court challenging the detention of Munir Mengal. The petitioner’s counsel said that although Mr Mengal’s detention under the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) was declared unlawful and the court on September 10 ordered his release, police arrested him in another case.

The petitioner said police had no evidence against Mr Mengal, otherwise the prosecution would have proved its case during the 16 months of his detention.

The petitioner prayed to the court to order Mr Mengal’s release. The petition would come up for hearing next week.

It may be mentioned that Mr Mengal was arrested at Karachi airport on April 4, 2006.

The provincial home department on August 4, this year detained him for one month under the MPO and on September 3 extended it for another 30 days.

The provincial police officer said at a press conference on Friday that Mr Mengal was under interrogation and the investigation was in process.

The home department’s detention order placed before the court on September 6 by the advocate-general Balochistan alleged that Mr Mengal had been running the ‘Baloch Voice’ website that involved in anti-state activities.