QUETTA: Opposition parties staged a sit-in outside Chief Minister House on Wednesday alleging his government was not taking them on board while finalising 2020-21 Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP).

Members of the opposition parties in the Balochistan Assembly led by Oppo­sition Leader Malik Sikandar Khan to­ok out a protest rally carrying placards and banners. They marched on Zarghoon Road and gathered in front of the official residence of the chief minister while chanting slogans agai­nst the provincial government and staged a sit-in.

Mr Khan said that despite promises the coalition government led by Chief Minister Jam Kamal Khan Alyani had not taken them into confidence while preparing PSDP 2020-21 and also alleged that provincial ministers and non-elected people belonging to the ruling party were interfering in their constituencies despite their protest.

Police and personnel of other law enforcement agencies deployed at the entrance of the Red Zone area nearly created a clash between police and opposition members. However, opposition MPAs succeeded in entering the Red Zone and reached outside the CM House.

Opposition parties also alleged that the government had arrested MPAs Akhtar Hussain Langove, Malik Naseer Shahwani and Ahmed Nawaz Baloch.

After hearing reports about arrest of the three MPAs workers of the Balochistan National Party blocked Sariab Road, Qambrani Road and Spiny Road putting barricades, burning tyres, chanting anti-government slogans, suspending traffic for hours.

Spokesman for Balochistan Gover­nment Liaquat Shahwani refuted the news of the arrests. “Balochistan government didn’t give any directive to arrest opposition members.”

He further said the opposition violated Section-144 by attempting to barge inside the Red Zone but police spoke to them politely instead of using force to intercept them.

Published in Dawn, June 11th, 2020