KARACHI Pakistani businessman Munir Mengal was arrested for planning to launch a Balochi satellite television channel and held for 22 months by intelligence agencies.

Mengal told Paris-based international organisation of journalists Reporters Without Borders that while held incommunicado, he was taken to see then president Pervez Musharraf, who asked him to abandon his TV station project in return for his release.

'On the evening of October 26, 2006, when I had been held incommunicado for six months, I was taken to the Saddar barracks near Karachi,' Mengal said.

'Pervez Musharraf was waiting for me in a room with Gen. Azeem and Maj. Gen. Bajwa. After apologising for the way I had been treated, the Musharraf asked me, in English, to give up my TV station project. He promised to release me if I pulled out of the media domain. He also offered me a copy of his book so that I could appreciate his commitment to Pakistan. After refusing his deal, I was taken back to my cell and tortured again.'

Mengal, who was interviewed in the European country where he has found refuge, also claimed that Musharraf aide Tariq Aziz offered him a political appointment and money in return for abandoning the planned 'Baloch Voice' TV station.

'Munir Mengal's shocking and damning account should prompt Pakistan's civilian authorities to open an immediate investigation into the case,' Reporters Without Borders said. 'It is inconceivable that those responsible for this political abduction be allowed to go unpunished.'

The press freedom organisation added, 'Mengal was arrested, physically and psychologically tortured, humiliated and robbed by members of the security forces. If Pakistan wants to put an end to such illegal and barbaric practices, justice must be done in this case, which has been the subject of a great deal of comment by the media and by leading figures in Pakistan and abroad.'

Mengal was arrested after landing at Karachi international airport on April 4, 2006. A military officer in civilian dress confiscated his passport and took him to a military detention centre. 'I was physically and psychologically tortured in the Malir barracks,' he said.

'After not letting me sleep for 72 hours, they stepped up their questioning 'Why do you want to create this TV station?' and 'Who gave you the idea?' and 'Who is supporting you?' Then they threw me in a small underground cell. I spent several months blindfolded and handcuffed. The first three days of torture were terrible. I still have back pain from the kicks I received. At the same time, the long interrogation sessions during the first five months were exhausting mental torture.'

The intelligence services released him on August 4, 2007, after he had been held incommunicado for more than 16 months. As a result of a public campaign and court decisions in his favour, the military were forced to smuggle him out of Sindh province, where they had been holding him.

His ordeal should have ended on September 10, 2007, after the high court of Balochistan ruled that he had committed no crime and ordered his immediate release.

But he was arrested two days later and was placed in Khudzar prison in Balochistan. Qalat police chief Abdul Aziz Jhakrani said he was being held under the Maintenance of Public Order Act. But as his lawyer asked at the time 'How could he be disturbing public order if he was already being held by the security forces?'

Balochi policemen finally helped him leave Khudzar prison on February 23, as the military were trying to arrest him. 'As I was still rejecting their blackmail, an officer came to the prison threatening to kill me,' said Mengal, who was finally able to rejoin his family. He went into hiding for several weeks and then managed to leave the country via Turbat airport.