QUETTA: Opposition members in the Balochistan Assembly on Tuesday staged a walkout from the house in protest against the alleged government’s attitude of ignoring them on a bill on the regulation of mines and oil fields and mineral development.

They criticised the government for adopting the bill in the same session of the assembly in which it was presented. They called for sending the bill to the standing committee of the house.

Senior Minister Sardar Abdul Rehman Kheteran presented the draft of the bill on the regulation of mines and oil fields and mineral development (amendment and government control) on behalf of the minister for mines and minerals and the house adopted it immediately without any debate.

JUI-Fazl lawmaker Molvi Noorullah objected to the adoption the bill the same day and said the government had not taken his party into confidence about the bill. He said the draft of the bill should have been sent to the standing committee concerned of the assembly for discussion.

Molvi Noorullah along with other opposition members walked out of the house.

The assembly session was presided over by Deputy Speaker Sardar Babar Khan Musakhail.

Provincial Minister for Agriculture Mir Asadullah Baloch, while taking the floor, said the present government was standing on the shoulders of the opposition parties and it was its responsibility to consult the opposition on the legislation.

Asadullah Baloch along with other treasury members went to the opposition members and brought them back to the house.

After returning to the house, opposition leader Malik Sikandar Khan said they had always opposed the legislation in which rules and regulations are ignored. He said the draft of the amendment bill should be sent to the house standing committee as majority of the members had opposed it.

Senior minister Sardar Kheteran said the amendment was made for promoting foreign investment in the mines and minerals sector and protecting the investors.

He said that in the past decisions had been taken by an individual, while through this amendment the provincial government was authorised to use these powers.

Published in Dawn, June 8th, 2022