QUETTA: The Baloc-histan Assembly continued on Sunday its debate on budget proposals for the next financial year and members from the treasury benches praised the adviser to chief minister on finance for presenting a `balanced’ budget. They welcomed an increase in allocations for education and health.

They claimed that it was a pro-people budget because huge sums had been allocated for education, health and agriculture sectors, but the opposition dubbed the government assertions as mere wishes.

Participating in the debate, Dr Hamid Khan Achakzai, Sardar Aslam Bizenjo, William Barkat, Nasrullah Zeray, Ruqiya Hashimi, Rahila Durrani and Arifa Sadiq, all members of the treasury benches, said although the law and order situation was not satisfactory in the province, the government was taking steps to make it better.

They said the allocation for security forces to maintain law and order had also been increased.

Opposition rejects government assertions

The government was well aware of people’s problems and it was making concerted efforts to solve them, they said.

Ruqiya Hashimi and Rahila Durrani pointed out that there was no allocation for development of women and urged the government to pay attention to the issue.

Opposition member Zamarak Khan Achakzai rejected the official assertion that the law and order situation in Balochistan was satisfactory and said that neither national highways nor citizens in urban areas were secure.

He lamented that the government had ignored members of the opposition in allocation of funds for development, but unelected people had been provided funds for development activities.

Acting speaker Mir Quddus Bizenjo, who presided over the session, adjourned the proceedings till Monday.

Published in Dawn, June 22nd, 2015

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