QUETTA: The Balochistan Assembly on Monday passed the Balochistan Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (Amendment) Bill, 2025, and the Balochistan Land Revenue (Amendment) Bill, 2025, and referred the Balochistan Institute of Nephro-Urology (Amendment) Bill, 2025, back to the standing committee for further review.

The House also referred audit reports of the Hazar Ganji bus terminal in Quetta and the Gwadar–Lasbela Support Project for years 2012–13 to 2020–21 to the public accounts committee.

The Speaker issued a ruling making it mandatory for secretaries of relevant departments to attend assembly proceedings whenever matters concerning their departments are on the agenda.

The JI Provincial Emir and MPA Maulana Hidayatur Rehman raised a calling attention notice about the disruption of electricity supply from Iran to Makran, particularly Gwadar.

Lawmakers express concern over illegal trawling in coastal areas despite ban

He said that despite an agreement for 100 megawatts (MW), only 10MW were being supplied, leaving the people in severe distress. After a reply from the parliamentary secretary for energy, the notice was disposed of.

The JI lawmaker also criticised the Social Welfare Department, alleging that 140 employees posted in Gwadar had not been performing their duties. Parliamentary Secretary Wali Noorzai confirmed absenteeism and said disciplinary action is under way, promising to present the findings to the House.

Provincial Health Minister Bakht Muhammad Kakar moved the Cardiovascular Institute Amendment Bill, which was passed.

However, when he introduced the Nephro-Urology amendment bill, lawmakers Dr Nawaz Kakar and Syed Zafar Agha raised objections, urging a fresh review. The Speaker accepted their demand and referred the bill back to the committee, directing it to reconvene on Tuesday and bring final recommendations for approval at the next session.

On a point of order, Maulana Hidayatur Rehman complained that departmental secretaries often remained absent from the Assembly, showing disrespect to elected representatives.

The provincial assembly Speaker ruled that the chief secretary must ensure that secretaries attend sessions, warning of action if the order was ignored.

Lawmakers also raised concern about illegal trawling in coastal areas of Balochistan despite an official ban, which they said was happening with the connivance of the Fisheries Department of the province, depriving local fishermen of their livelihood.

Lawmakers from Nasirabad complained about suspension of power supply to agricultural tube-wells before their conversion to solar energy, prompting the Speaker of the provincial assembly to summon the energy secretary and Qesco chief to the assembly on Wednesday.

Provincial Minister Sardarzada Faisal Jamali warned of possible flooding in Nasirabad from expected high flows at Guddu and Sukkur barrages and called for coordination between the Balochistan and Sindh governments.

Finance Minister Mir Shoaib Nosherwani assured the House that PDMA officials were already in the field to monitor the situation.

Published in Dawn, September 9th, 2025