QUETTA: Members of the Balochistan Assembly belonging to opposition parties staged a sit-in outside the Chief Minister House to protest against spending of development funds through unelected people in their constituencies.

Led by opposition leader Advocate Malik Sikandar Khan, they refused to hold talks with a government team headed by Minister for Revenue Saleem Ahmed Khosa and asked Chief Minister Jam Kamal Khan Alyani to lead the negotiation team for talks with them.

But, the opposition members were informed that the chief minister was on a tour to Chagai district.

The protesting lawmakers took out a procession from the Balochistan Assembly and after marching on Zarghoon Road reached at the CM House crossing all bearers of the Red Zone as the chief minister had ordered the authorities not to create any hurdle in their way.

They carried placards and banners inscribed with their demands.

The opposition leader said the people of Balochistan were under the the grip of terrorism, but the chief minister was trying to please the hunters from some Gulf states.

He said the victims of the recent blast in Quetta had been battling for life, but the provincial govern-ment was busy in celebrations of Sibi Mela.

He said the inflation had jumped and edible items were no more in the reach of poor people, but the ruling party was rewarding its workers and leaders with development schemes worth Rs20 billion.

Malik Sikandar claimed that the doors of the CM House had been closed for opposition members.

Speaking on the occasion, Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee Akhtar Hussain Langove said instead of giving relief to suppressed people of Balochistan, the provincial government was creating uncertainty in Balochistan.

He said workers of opposition parties would continue to protest against flawed policies of the provincial government.

Workers of the Balochistan Natio­nal Party-Mengal, Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl and Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party took part in the sit-in.

Published in Dawn, February 21st, 2020