QUETTA: Former chief minister Jan Mohammad Jamali has called for a probe into spending of the funds received by Balochistan under the 7th NFC Award.

While taking part in the general debate on the provincial budget, Mr Jamali said Balochistan had been receiving its share from NFC Awards for many years, but it was not visible where this amount was spent.

“People must know where these funds were spent,” he said.

Mr Jamali said huge commercial plazas were being constructed in residential areas of Quetta, but nobody was concerned.

Debate continues on budget in Balochistan Assembly

He said Balochistan had been ignored in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor as one can see only billboards of housing schemes in Gwadar.

He said the senators from Balochistan should not support the amendment bill for increasing seats of national and provincial assemblies for those areas of erswhile Fata that have been included in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Parliamentary leader of the Awami National Party Asghar Khan Achakzai, however, did not agree with Mr Jamali and said the bill should be passed so that the people of tribal areas could get their rights.

He called for issuance of the production order for Pashtun Tahafuz Movement members of the National Assembly.

Home Minister Zia Langove, Mir Ahmed Nawaz Baloch of the Balochistan National Party-Mengal, Mir Younis Aziz Zehri of the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl, Dr Rababa Buledi and Shakila Naveed Dehwar also spoke on the budget.

Deputy Speaker Babar Khan Musakhail presided over the assembly session.

Published in Dawn, June 25th, 2019