August 31, 2008	Sunday	Sha'aban 28, 1429

QUETTA, Aug 30: Balochistan Assembly Speaker Aslam Bhootani on Saturday deferred a resolution supporting PPP leader Asif Ali Zardari as a presidential candidate providing an opportunity to other members to back the resolution.

The resolution tabled by PPP’s deputy parliamentary leader Mir Sadiq Umrani said Mr Zardari had played an important role through his reconciliation approach in the formation of governments at the Centre and in the provinces.

He said that keeping in view Mr Zardari’s reconciliation efforts he should be unanimously declared as the most suitable candidate for the office.

The mover, however, requested the chair that the resolution may be deferred in order to make it representatives with participation of all members.

Minister for Industries Syed Ehsan Shah backed the call for deferring the resolution. The speaker accepted the request and deferred it till Monday.

The speaker turned a point of order raised by Ehsan Shah into an adjournment motion and admitted it for debate. The matter pertains to a firing allegedly by the Frontier Corps on a procession on the second death anniversary of Nawab Akbar Bugti in Turbat on August 26 in which a man was killed and several others were injured. Accusing the Frontier Corps of opening fire on peaceful protesters, the minister said the report of the committee formed by Prime Minister’s Adviser on Interior Rehman Malik to probe the incident should be presented in the house.

Minister for Irrigation Sardar Aslam Bizenjo said Mr Malik had decided that the Frontier Corps would be placed under the control of the chief minister but regretted that the troops had on Friday forcibly removed flags of political parties in Naal and Khuzdar which he added was a condemnable act.

He said the Balochistan government would raise the issue with Prime Minister Yousuf Reza Gilani during his visit to Quetta on Sunday. He said that it was responsibility of law-enforcement agencies to produce arrested persons in the courts.