Islamabad: The newly elected government of Pakistan's sensitive Baluchistan province has ordered the release of all prisoners belonging to banned religious outfits before this week's Eid festival.

"All prisoners of the religious parties detained in different prisons should be released immediately," Chief Minister Jam Mir Mohammad Yousaf told the Home department of the North Western province on December 3.

Those to be released include leaders and activists of the Sipah-i-Sahaba, Lashkar-i- Jhangvi, Sipah-i-Mohammad and Tekhrik-i-Jafaria, which were banned by President Pervez Musharraf for fomenting sectarian strife between majority Sunni and minority Shia sects and taking part in acts of terrorism in Pakistan, 'Dawn' daily reported on December 4.

Reports quoting Maulana Abdul Wasih, a leader of Yousaf's party Pakistan Muslim League (PML-Q), said members of outlawed Jaish-e-Mohammed would also be released.

Musharraf had banned the Jaish in January following last year's attack on Indian Parliament. It was not clear how many prisoners would be released. The 'Dawn' said Yousaf ordered that all legal formalities should be completed without any delay so that the prisoners could celebrate Eid with their families.

Yousaf was elected Chief Minister of Baluchistan with the support of the hard-line Islamic alliance MMA (Muttahida Majlis-e-Ammal) on December 1. He has inducted several of the MMA as ministers. Two MMA leaders who were imprisoned on corruption charges were released ahead of Yousaf's election.

PTI