October 5, 2003	Sunday	Sha’aban 8, 1424

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QUETTA, Oct 4: The Balochistan Assembly on Saturday unanimously adopted a resolution demanding that the federal government should extend the date of cancellation of old national identity cards till December 2005 from the end of the current year as announced by the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra).

Provincial Finance Minister Syed Ehsan Shah assured the house that the government would implement the reports prepared by the committees against the irregularities committed in appointments in the education department.

Speaker Jamal Shah Kakar disposed of two adjournments motions of the opposition benches, when the finance minister said he would look into the matters.

The chair reserved the ruling on a privilege motion related to inequality in the distribution of tubewells.

A joint resolution of senior minister Maulana Abdul Wasay and Mir Habibur Rehman Mohammad Hasni was moved by the latter, stating that the government had decided to cancel the old national identity cards by Dec 31.

He claimed that the province had a vast territory and the people of the far-flung areas were not provided the computerized cards, which would created problems for them.

Mr Hasni stressed that the cancellation date of old NICs should be extended till December 2005 and the passport offices directed to acknowledge the old cards as the people of the province went to the Middle East. He said the restriction of computerized cards would increase the people’s difficulties.

The members from both the sides adopted the resolution when it was put before the house.

Speaking on an adjournment motion of Abdur Rahim Ziaratwal of the Pukhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party, Kachkol Ali Baloch of the Balochistan National Movement, Juma Khan Bugti of the Jamhoori Watan Party and Akbar Mengal of the Balochistan National Party (Mengal), the finance minister said th government would take action if the inquiry reports confirmed irregularities in appointments in the education department.

He said the government would not defend violation of rules in recruitment and maintained that the procedure should have been fulfilled while challenging the bogus local certificates.

Mr Ziaratwal claimed that three inquiry committee had revealed that ghost appointments had been made through false documents but 78 sacked teachers had been reinstated in the Qila Saifullah district, that contradicted government’s claim of fairness.

He said inquiry committees had confirmed that hundreds of teachers were recruited wrongfully, that caused millions of rupees loss to the national exchequer and deprived the deserving candidates of their rights.

The motion was disposed of when the movers did not press it following assurance by the finance minister.

Opposition leader Kachkol Baloch said in his adjournment motion that President Gen Pervez Musharraf had on Jan 12, 2002, announced that electricity would be provided to 200 villages in Balochistan but the Quetta Electricity Supply Company was reluctant to implement the projects. He said the provincial government had sought suggestions from the members in this regard but funds had not been released for the projects.

The finance minister said Chief Minister Jam Kohammed Yousaf would discuss the matter with the president during his visit to the provincial capital scheduled on Monday.

The opposition leader said the president and the prime minister should not make announcements that they could not honour.

He did not press his motion after the assurance by the minister.

The speaker reserved his ruling on a privilege motion tabled by Kachkol Baloch, Sardar Azam Musakhel and Rehmat Ali, alleging that despite the decision in a joint committee meeting presided over by the chief minister, the distribution of tubewells was carried out unfairly.

The finance minister clarified that the government had not backed out of the promise but the quota of the members had been reduced to accommodate all of them and distribute the tubewells equally among all the districts.

The minister also tabled the Balochistan prosecution service (establishment, responsibility and powers) draft bill, 2003, in the house.

The session was adjourned till Tuesday.