May 30, 2007	Wednesday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 13, 1428

QUETTA, May 29: Home Minister Mir Mohammad Shoaib Nausherwani on Tuesday disagreed with a demand of the opposition in the Balochistan Assembly for a judicial inquiry into manhandling of a doctor and paramedical staff by police in Khuzdar hospital, saying that the provincial police chief was conducting a departmental investigation into the matter and its report would be submitted in the house during the ongoing session.

Speaking on adjournment motions tabled by opposition members, the minister assured them that action would be taken against the police officer if he was found responsible for manhandling the doctor and paramedical staff.

Deputy Speaker Mohammad Aslam Bhootani, with the consent of opposition members Kachkol Ali and Abdur Rahim Ziaratwal, had merged their adjournment motions about barring the Balochistan National Party (Mengal) from holding rallies against arrests of the party’s workers with one admitted in the previous session.

The home minister opposed the demand to turn the motions into a resolution, saying that the house should wait for the investigation report.

He said the political parties are required to take permission from the district administrations concerned for rallies.

Provincial Minister Maulana Faiz Mohammad, who has been elected from Khuzdar, claimed that the haughty attitude of the police officer had caused trouble in the hospital on May 21 and the doctor who had been manhandled was a decent person.

He called for action against the official who had not only insulted the doctor and paramedical staff but also used teargas against those protesting against his behaviour.

Opposition members Kachkol Ali, Mr Ziaratwal, Sardar Sanaullah Zehri, Jan Mohammad Buledi, Sardar Azam Khan Musakhel and Dr Shama Ishaq castigated the police officer for using state power against the hospital staff and protesters. They said the government should had taken action against the official.

They said the attitude of the government had forced the Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) and the paramedical staff to observe token strike in the hospitals.

The opposition members criticised the government for not allowing the BNP-M to hold public gatherings and arresting its activists in violation of the fundamental rights.

They said police officials were provoking tribal elders and political workers by using state machinery to insult them

They said that if the political workers were pushed to the wall, they would opt for extra-constitutional methods, which would not be in the interest of Balochistan and the country.

The chair disposed of the motions.

The speaker, using his discretionary powers, admitted an adjournment motion of Sardar Azam Musakhel about the wheat scandal for debate on May 31.

The house unanimously passed a joint resolution of the treasury and opposition members tabled by Amina Khanum, with an amendment proposed by the leader of the opposition, stating that position holders of MA and MSc should be given priority in jobs in the provincial government, universities and the assembly.

The Balochistan General Provident Fund bill, 2007, tabled by Finance Minister Syed Ehsan Shah was passed by majority vote, while the opposition members staged a token walkout when their objections were rejected.

The house also passed the Balochistan Local Government Ordinance (amendment) bill, 2006, and Law No.3 of 2007 tabled by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Mir Abdur Rehman Jamali.

The session was adjourned till Thursday.