QUETTA: The Balochistan Assembly adopted a condolence resolution on Saturday, condemning killing of bus passengers in Mastung on Friday night and terming it a conspiracy to pit members of an ethnic community against others.

Leader of the Opposition Maulana Wasay tabled the resolution, saying the killing of the passengers of two coaches in Khad Kocha area was aimed at wedging a conflict between Pakhtun and Baloch communities. But the patience exercised by relatives of the victims and joint efforts made by the government and political parties had foiled the conspiracy.

Speaking on the resolution, the lawmakers said that there could be no peace, development and consolidation of democracy till the “elimination of terrorists and separatists” in the province. They called for a united struggle by the treasury and opposition benches to defeat the elements misguiding the Baloch people in the name of independence.

Chief Minister Dr Abdul Malik Baloch appreciated cooperation extended by the opposition to retain peace in the wake of the Mastung tragedy.

He appealed to the Baloch political leadership, intellectuals and youth to come forward and condemn the incident because keeping silence on the tragedy would harm the Baloch people.

The lawmakers said that anti-state and anti-democratic forces were behind attempts to create unrest in Balochistan. They alleged that Indian intelligence agency, Research and Analysis Wing, was involved in the killing of innocent people and was backing terrorists to destabilise the province.

They praised family members and relatives of the victims for remaining peaceful during a demonstration outside the chief minister secretariat.

The legislators who spoke on the occasion included Abdul Rahim Ziaratwal, Mir Sarfaraz Bugti, Rehmat Baloch, Jaffar Khan Mandokhel, Prince Ahmed Ali, Sami Khan, Husna Bano, Nasrullah Zehri, Sardar Abdur Rehman Khetran, Shahida Rauf, Dr Shama Ishaq, Dastgir Badini and Ruqiya Hashimi.

The session was adjourned for an indefinite period.

Published in Dawn, May 31st, 2015

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