Mohsin Dawar says 'kept in custody against will', govt cites safety concerns

Member of National Assembly Mohsin Dawar on Saturday said that he was "kept in custody against his will" all night yesterday, with the Balochistan government saying that the lawmaker had been hosted at a safe site for his protection after a bomb blast shook Quetta ahead of his arrival.

At least four people were injured yesterday on Quetta’s Saryab Road after a motorcycle exploded. According to the police, explosive material had been planted onto the motorcycle.

The lawmaker said that since there were no flights back from Balochistan, he was kept in custody all night.

He said that he had several important meetings planned during his visit to the province.

"I had many meetings scheduled, including with the Chaman victims and Hayat Baloch," he said, adding: "Instead, I was given a demonstration of how laws and rights mean nothing in this country. From the airport, I was forcibly taken to a rest house," Dawar said.

The lawmaker said he apologises to all those who were expecting to meet him in Quetta and vowed that he would keep raising his voice for their rights.

'Moved for his own protection'

Meanwhile, Balochistan government spokesperson Liaquat Shahwani, a day earlier, had said that the district authorities had shifted Dawar for his own protection to a safe location due to the Quetta blast.

"Mohsin Dawar is our guest and his security is our responsibility," he said, adding that the people must pay no heed to "baseless propaganda".