QUETTA: The Balochistan Assembly witnessed a heated debate on Thursday between the opposition and treasury benches after the former levelled corruption allegations against the coalition government.

Sardar Abdul Rehman Khetiran, who is a member of the cabinet headed by Chief Minister Jam Kamal Khan Alyani, rejected the allegations and described the opposition’s accusations against the government as an attempt aimed at political point-scoring and misguiding the public.

He said the law and order situation was improving with each passing day thanks to collective efforts made by the government and security forces. “If the opposition members have any proof of corruption, they should place it before the house,” Mr Khetiran said, adding that he would quit if corruption charges were proved against any minister.

However, opposition members did not pay any heed to his challenge. BNP-Mengal’s Sanaullah Baloch alleged that ministers were accepting bribe “even from officers of grade-19”, something, he added, which never happened in the past. He suggested that a judicial commission should be formed to conduct a probe into these allegations.

Irrigation Minister Nawabzada Tariq Magsi, who also reacted sharply to the allegations, said the government was in fact taking strict steps against corruption and working hard to resolve the problems of people at their doorsteps.

“No one will be allowed to take bribe and if someone is found involved in such practice he will face strict action,” Mr Magsi declared.

Both sides also had a discussion on the issues of coronavirus and construction of a cancer hospital in the province.

The opposition members said that cancer was on the rise in the province, but the government was not taking serious steps to establish a cancer hospital in Quetta.

In his reply, Minister for Social Welfare Mir Asadullah Baloch said that cancer was not a virus that spread quickly. He informed the house that recently the chief minister had inaugurated the construction of a cancer block in Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al-Nahyan hospital and efforts were under way to build a cancer hospital in Quetta.

Published in Dawn, February 28th, 2020