Balochistan PA resolution seeks withdrawal of ordinance on islands

Published October 30, 2020
The resolution was presented in the house by Opposition Leader Advocate Malik Sikander Khan on the private members day.
 — File Photo
The resolution was presented in the house by Opposition Leader Advocate Malik Sikander Khan on the private members day. — File Photo

QUETTA: The Balochistan Assembly on Thursday adopted a resolution moved by the opposition leader with the support of treasury benches against a move to hand over islands in Balochistan and Sindh to the federal government through a presidential ordinance and demanded withdrawal of the ordinance without delay.

The resolution was presented in the house by Opposition Leader Advocate Malik Sikander Khan on the private members day.

Speaking on the resolution, he said that taking over islands of Sindh and Balochistan through the presidential ordinance was against the constitution as the islands belonged to the two provinces.

“The provinces were not taken into confidence before issuing the presidential ordinance by the federal government,” he said, adding that the federal government would not be allowed to take over these islands.

Takeover of islands in Sindh and Balochistan is against constitution, house told

Nasarullah Zerey of the Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party termed the ordinance unconstitutional, saying that the islands belonged to the provinces and nobody could take over them without the permission of the provinces.

He expressed his surprise over the silence of the Balochistan chief minister and members of his cabinet over the issue.

Asghar Khan Achakzai, parliamentary leader of the Awami National Party, which is a part of the provincial coalition government, supported the resolution and said that after failing in rolling back 18th Amendment in the constitutional, the federal government was trying to take over resources of the provinces through a presidential ordinance. He said the federal government would not be allowed to take over the islands of the two provinces at any cost.

“President Alvi should have stepped down after the Supreme Court’s verdict in the Justice Qazi Faez Isa case as he has lost the moral ground to remain in the office,” Mr Achakzai said.

Provincial Finance Minister Mir Zahoor Ahmed Buledi while supporting the resolution said that such important decisions should not be taken in a closed-door meeting. Citing a 1991’s convention held in Brazil with the name of Convention on Biological Diversity which was also signed by Pakistan, he said it was about wildlife and marine life.

Syed Ehsan Shah, Mir Ahmed Nawaz Baloch, Malik Naseer Ahmed Shahwani and other members also spoke on the resolution and demanded withdrawal of the presidential ordinance regarding the islands in Sindh and Balochistan.

Published in Dawn, October 30th, 2020

Opinion

Editorial

Judiciary’s SOS
Updated 28 Mar, 2024

Judiciary’s SOS

The ball is now in CJP Isa’s court, and he will feel pressure to take action.
Data protection
28 Mar, 2024

Data protection

WHAT do we want? Data protection laws. When do we want them? Immediately. Without delay, if we are to prevent ...
Selling humans
28 Mar, 2024

Selling humans

HUMAN traders feed off economic distress; they peddle promises of a better life to the impoverished who, mired in...
New terror wave
Updated 27 Mar, 2024

New terror wave

The time has come for decisive government action against militancy.
Development costs
27 Mar, 2024

Development costs

A HEFTY escalation of 30pc in the cost of ongoing federal development schemes is one of the many decisions where the...
Aitchison controversy
Updated 27 Mar, 2024

Aitchison controversy

It is hoped that higher authorities realise that politics and nepotism have no place in schools.