May 23, 2007	Wednesday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 06, 1428

QUETTA, May 22: Differences among ministers belonging to the PML helped the tabling of an adjournment motion in the Balochistan Assembly on the proposed construction of a seaport at Sonmiani in Lasbela district.

The motion tabled by Leader of Opposition Kachkol Ali Baloch would be admitted for discussion on Thursday, despite opposition by Home Minister Mir Shoiab Nausherwani and Minister for Revenue Mir Asim Kurd Gello.

MMA ministers and Education Minister Nasreen Khetran and Mir Haider Jamali belonging to the PML supported the motion.

Deputy Speaker Mir Muhammad Aslam Bhootani presided over the session on Tuesday.

Revenue Minister Gello informed the house that the government had not allotted half a million acres of land in Sonmiani as stated by Mr Kachkol Ali and said that President Pervez Musharraf while inaugurating the Gwadar port on March 19 had announced the plan to build another port at Sonmiani.

Opposing the motion, Mr Nausherwani said that the issue was not of an urgent nature, adding that the president had announced the plan for new port on March 19 but Mr Baloch did not table the motion in the session held on March 22. He claimed that the government would provide jobs to locals in the Gwadar port.

The mover accused the federal Minister for Shipping Babar Ghauri of recruiting his favourites on posts at Gwadar despite assurances by the federal government that unemployed youths from Makran areas would be recruited.

Mr Jan Muhammad Buledi suggested that an official delegation of the provincial government should go to Islamabad to offer condolences to the family of the late Syed Hammad Reza Ali, additional registrar of the Supreme Court.

The deputy speaker agreed that condolences should be offered to his family.

An opposition member staged a token walkout in protest against non-payment of advertisement dues to newspapers not towing the government line. The home minister assured the house that the government would take steps to address the grievances of the Editors’ Council of Balochistan.

The session was adjourned till Thursday.