Top Baloch leader escapes suicide attack at protest

A top Baloch nationalist leader and other workers of his party escaped unhurt when a suicide bomber blew himself up near their sit-in protest in Balochistan province of Pakistan on Saturday.

Sardar Akhtar Mengal has been leading a long march from Wadh to Quetta since Friday to protest the arrests of the leaders and workers of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), whose chief Dr Mahrang Baloch was arrested under anti-terrorism laws.

The suicide bomber blew himself up near their sit-in protest near Lucky Pass in Mastung, about 50 kilometre south of Quetta, in Balochistan province but Mengal and others escaped unhurt.

Mahrang Baloch and other BYC members were all arrested earlier this month from Quetta from a sit-in. They have been holding protest rallies for missing Baloch persons and alleged injustices meted out to Balochistan.

Harifal said the government had granted permission for the BNP long march.