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       QUETTA: The Balochistan High Court has directed the district administration of Quetta to immediately release the detainees arrested under Section 3 of the MPO Ordinance 1960 at Lakpass on April 21.

       A two-member bench comprising Justice Rozi Khan Barech and Justice Sardar Ahmad Halimi issued the order, stating that if the detained individuals were not required in any other case, “they should be released unconditionally.”

       The court was earlier informed that a protest procession had allegedly been organised near Lakpass in Mastung.

       The bench raised several queries, including whether the deputy commissioner of Quetta had the authority to issue detention orders against the petitioners; whether the petitioners had been served an annulled order within 15 days of the issuance of the MPO order; whether a government board had been constituted for hearing cases under Section 3 of the ordinance; and whether any orders had been issued against minors.

       The petitioners’ lawyer argued that most of those detained aged between 12 and 13 years.

       On Tuesday, the advocate general appeared and presented orders for the release of petitioners, under the Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance, 1960.

       Published in Dawn, April 23rd, 2025