March 17, 2006	Friday	Safar 16, 1427

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QUETTA March 16: Opposition members in the Balochistan assembly staged a demonstration outside the main gate of the governor’s house on Thursday in protest against frequent adjournments of the assembly session and the military operation in Dera Bugti and Kohlu.

The legislators went to the governor’s house in a procession from the assembly building, marching through the Zarghoon road. Police stopped them near the GPO Chowk but later allowed the MPAs and newsmen to proceed forward.

Opposition leader Kachkol Ali and Abdur Rahim Ziaratwal of PMAP, Haji Juma Khan Bugti of JWP, Mir Akbar Mengal of BNP-M and Shafique Ahmed Khan of PPP Parliamentarian addressed the rally.

They claimed that had the governor not adjourned the March 15 session they would have discussed Balochistan situation on the floor of the house.

They said that not only the assembly sessions were frequently adjourned but the rulers and treasury members also sabotaged the session requisitioned by the opposition on January 5 to discuss the military operation in Dera Bugti and Kohlu.

They said that the present tussle in Balochistan was not between anti-state and pro-Pakistan elements but between the genuine political forces of Balochistan and exploiters.

“Our struggle is for constitutional rights to guarantee that the federating units should have the power to control their resources which should be utilized for the betterment of the indigenous population, and not manipulated by the centre,” the speakers added.

They claimed that according to the 1973 Constitution the concurrent list should have been abolished in 1983 to give more powers to the provinces but the rulers were retaining the list in violation of the Constitution.

They demanded that an assembly session should be convened to discuss the Dera Bugti and Kohlu situation and other important political issues pertaining to the province. They said there could be no improvement in situation till the military operation was stopped in the province.