April 2, 2006	Sunday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 3, 1427

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QUETTA, April 1: The Balochistan Assembly on Saturday passed a resolution calling upon the federal government to waive off the Zarai Taraqiyati Bank loans in the province.

The resolution was jointly tabled by members of treasury benches.

Speaker Jamal Shah Kakar admitted identical adjournment motions of the MMA, BNP-A and the PPP, pertaining to the killing of picnickers at Pir Ghaib in the Bolan valley, for discussion on April 4.

He merged the two motions, one jointly tabled by Amina Khanum, Samina Saeed and Shahida Rauf of the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal and Farah Azim Shah of the Balochistan National Party (Awami) and the other by Shafiq Ahmed Khan of the People’s Party Parliamentarians.

He disposed of adjournment motions of opposition members pertaining to arrests in Kahan and funds allocation for the Harnai Woollen Mills, following assurance by the ministers concerned of looking into the matters.

Opposition members staged a token walkout when the speaker disposed of their privilege motion on the handing over of the Belali Textile Mills building to the University of Information Technology despite the passage of an assembly resolution against it.

Chief Minister Jam Mohammad Yousuf assured the house that the government would provide funds to buy boats for patrolling by the fisheries officials to curb illegal fishing in Jewani and Gwadar waters.

Responding to points of order raised by minister Sher Jan Baloch, opposition leader Kachkol Ali and Mr Ziaratwal, Mr Yousuf asked the fisheries minister to prepare a summary for purchase of boats for cabinet approval.

The opposition members had alleged that the local fishermen’s rights were at stake due to unchecked fishing in Balochistan waters by fishermen from Sindh as well as foreign countries like Japan and Korean. They demanded measures to protect the rights of local fishermen.

The speaker expressed resentment over absence of ministers during question hours when questions related to their departments were raised and directed the senior minister to ensure the presence of ministers concerned to satisfy the questioners.

The session was adjourned till Tuesday.

FIVE DEATH SENTENCES: Nasirabad Sessions Court on Saturday awarded five death sentences for killing a man and four other members of his family.

Sessions judge Munir Ahmed also ordered the convict, Lal Jan, to pay Rs500,000 to the heirs of the murdered family.

The convict and two other absconders had killed Mohammad Pana Lehri, his wife and their three children on Feb 1, 2004.