QUETTA/DERA MURAD JAMALI: The Balochistan Assembly paid tribute to the veteran Baloch nationalist leader Dr Abdul Hayee Baloch on Saturday for his struggle for the rights of the province and upholding democracy, democratic institutions and the rule of law.

Dr Hayee, the president of the National Democratic Party, lost his life on Friday in a road accident near Bahawalpur when his car ran into a trailer.

He was laid to rest in his native town Bagh in Balochistan’s Kachhi district. His body was brought from Bahawalpur to Bagh in a motorcade.

Prominent political leaders, including PPP’s Balochistan chapter President Mir Changez Khan Jamali, Awami National Party’s Balochistan chapter President Mohammad Asghar Achakzai and Senator Kabir Mohammad Shai, and a large number of tribal elders attended Dr Hayee’s funeral.

Government officials of Nasirabad, Kachhi, Sibi and other areas were also present on the occasion.

They paid tribute to Dr Hayee for his struggle for the rights of oppressed people of Balochistan and other provinces.

The provincial assembly also adopted a resolution to extend its full support to Muslim student Muskan Khan who was heckled and jeered at by a mob of Hindutva supporters in India’s Karnataka state over wearing hijab.

The resolution was jointly moved by Balochistan’s Parliamentary Secretary for Information Bushra Rind and opposition member Asghar Khan Tareen of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F).

Ms Rind said that it was a matter of serious concern that an anti-hijab campaign was launched by the members of India’s ruling party under the patronage and support of the country’s government.

“The house salutes the bravery and courage of Ms Muskan, who did not bow down before the pressure and threats of the extremists and refused to remove hijab and defeated them with her determination,” Ms Rind remarked while speaking on the resolution.

She said the United Nations and other human rights institutions should take notice of the Indian extremists and must make the Modi government accountable in this regard.

Mr Khan of JUI-F also condemned the attitude of the Modi government against the Muslim community and minorities.

Published in Dawn, February 27th, 2022