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| November 28, 2005 | Monday | Shawwal 25, 1426 |
Chaos, walkouts mark PA proceedings
QUETTA, Nov 27: Chaos prevailed in the Balochistan Assembly on Sunday as the opposition walked out three times during the question hour and the tabling of two bills.
Opposition protests led to assurances that inquiries would be held into distribution of wheat bags by the food department and a clash between some MPAs and policemen on the Balochistan High Court premises and that the Balochistan University of Information Technology Bill would be referred again to a standing committee.
However, the chair’s decision not to refer the Local Government (second amendment) Bill 2005 to a house committee led the opposition to boycott the speech of Chief Minister Jam Mohammad Yousuf.
The chief minister expressed his government’s resolve to suppress sabotage activities and maintain government’s writ in every corner of the province.
He said that development activities, economic prosperity and a sustainable share in the National Finance Commission award would take Balochistan out of backwardness.
Referring to the past military actions in the volatile Balochistan, he said that the people could not forget the high-handedness of President Ayub Khan and Zulfikar Ali Bhutto ‘owing to confrontational attitude or rigidity in the provincial politics’.
Condemning the incidents of rocket firing and attempts to dislocate settlers in some areas of Makran, he said no sane person could back terrorist acts and violence which would endanger the interests of the province.
He said that protests, walkouts and criticism of government policies were democratic rights of the opposition but it should also suggest proposals for solving the problems.
Referring to the Wadh tribal dispute, the chief minister said that if tribal chieftains played their role, such disputes could be settled in a peaceful manner.
Earlier, opposition members, speaking on admissibility of some adjournment and privilege motions, resented the ‘unchecked’ powers of police and warned that the merger of the Levies force with police would further deteriorate the situation.
They said that police officials had no respect or sympathy for local people as they were from another province and unaware about traditions and culture of the province.
Referring to the court incident, where three lawmakers were harassed by police officials who also pointed their guns on them, opposition members said if police publicly behaved with MPAs in such a manner what would their attitude be towards common folk in a police station.
The house passed the Balochistan Citizens Immovable Property Tax (amendment) bill 2005, Freedom of Information Bill 2005 and Balochistan Local Government (second amendment) Bill 2005.
Later, the house was adjourned sine die.
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