ISLAMABAD: The Senate Committee on Procedure and Privileges on Thursday summoned the Balochistan Frontier Corps inspector general over a dispute involving misconduct with a member of the upper house.

The privilege motion was moved by Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party Senator, Usman Khan Kakar.

While presenting his case in the committee, Mr Kakar said that he had never moved a privilege motion in his life but an incident which took place during his election campaign at Qila Saifullah, forced him to move a privilege motion.

“On July 9, I addressed a public meeting and spoke against the FC. At 11pm, while I was returning along with my workers, I found that the road was blocked with a chain and there was a FC check-post there. My workers and I called many times but after failing to get any response we honked the car horn. Finally, two FC officials came and after checking our cards untied the chain,” he recalled.

“However, a Hawaldar stopped us. He asked how we dared to honk horns at the FC check-post and then directed his soldiers to take positions to open fire but they did not,” Mr Kakar added.

The Hawaldar, he claimed, on inquiring about their identity again said that he did not care about any senator or parliamentarian. “We had to wait there for an hour as we were not allowed to leave without seeking clearance. Finally, after an hour our names were written on a register and we were allowed to leave,” said Mr Kakar.

He said that after reaching Quetta, he tried to contact the FC IG several times and for many hours but every time his personal secretary said that the officer was busy.

FC Commandant Lieutenant Colonel Adeel Ahmed said that he had given the report to the inspector that Senator Kakar was not present at the check-post because his soldiers had told him so. He said that though an internal inquiry was held earlier, another inquiry would be carried again to confirm the matter.

“Moreover, we have given instructions to all check posts to not retaliate even if people misbehave with them. We have decided to abolish the check-post after the incident,” he added.

Senate committee chairman Sardar Azam Khan Musakhel summoned the FC IG along with the Hawaldar who misbehaved with Senator Kakar in the next meeting so that they could clarify their positions.

Published in Dawn, August 17th, 2018