QUETTA: National Party president and Senator Mir Hasil Khan Bizenjo on Wednesday opposed the government’s decision to grant Pakistani citizenship to Afghan and Bengali refugees, arguing that they must all be sent back to their countries.

Speaking at a press conference, the senator described Prime Minister Imran Khan’s announcement to do so as irresponsible and said that any move to bring a new citizen bill would be resisted. The party’s senior leaders, Dr Ishaq Baloch, former health minister Rehmat Saleh Baloch, Mir Abdul Khaliq Baloch and Mir Ali Ahmed Langove were also present at the presser.

Senator Bizenjo said that Islamabad had reached an accord with Kabul, with the involvement of the UNHCR, that Afghan refugees would be repatriated. “The PTI government must implement that agreement and send back Afghan refugees,” he argued, adding that granting these refugees citizenship would impact the image of Pakistan.

The Baloch leader said that his party would oppose any such measure by the government both inside and outside parliament. He also said that the new government was working on an agenda to roll back the constitutional amendment, which had him and his associates worried. However, he said that his party along with other political parties would do everything it could to resist any such move, and would not allow any such transgressions. The senator added that the provinces had been granted autonomy because of this landmark amendment — something that they had been struggling for since 1947.

While referring to the NFC Award issue, the senator said that there were reports that the government was planning to reduce provincial shares. “According to the Constitution, the shares of the provinces have already been fixed and cannot be reduced. The provincial share is protected under the Constitution.”

Senator Bizenjo also said that he was worried about the financial crisis the Balochistan government was facing. He claimed that the situation was so bleak, that the government could not even release salaries to its employees.

“Despite the current financial woes, the federal government has decided to cut by up to 20 per cent Provincial PSDP funds. The government must make public its stance over the crisis,” he said.

The senator also congratulated former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, Maryam Nawaz and her husband retired Captain Safdar over their release from prison and said that he was glad the courts had given them some relief.

Published in Dawn, September 20th, 2018