ISLAMABAD, Aug 4: The combined opposition in the Senate continued its onslaught on the government on Friday for its handling of the Balochistan crisis and demanded an immediate halt to the military operation to give way to political dialogue.

The debate on the Balochistan situation, which had started on an adjournment motion by Leader of the Opposition Mian Raza Rabbani on Thursday, remained inconclusive and the house decided to resume it on Monday.

An ordinance, titled ‘Recognitions and Enforcement (arbitration agreements and foreign arbitral awards) Ordinance, which the opposition leader described as a 53rd in a row, was tabled by the parliamentary affairs minister.

The house was informed that the government would soon present a bill to amend the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council law providing a mechanism to regulate private medical colleges.

In the question hour, it was informed that seven non-recognised medial and dental colleges/institutions were functioning in the country — Sheikh Zayed Medical College Rahim Yar Khan, Independent Medial College Faisalabad, Islamabad Medical and Dental College, Al Huda Medical College Lahore, Sardar Ghulam Muhammad Khan Mahar Medical College Sukkur, International Medical College Abbottabad and Jinnah Institute of Medical Sciences Peshawar.

Health Minister Naseer Khan said that non-recognised colleges were required to fulfil the criteria laid down by the government for recognition.

Hameed Afridi, the leader of a group of four ‘estranged’ senators who have been allotted separate seats on the opposition side recently, called upon the foreign minister to give a statement about the Pakistan-Afghan border conflict that had prompted Kabul last month to stop construction of a border gate.

Chairman Mohammedmian Soomro assured the member that his demand would the taken up on the next sitting when the foreign minister or minister of state for foreign affairs was available.

Participating in the debate on the Balochistan issue with reference to disappearances of political workers and their relatives, Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal’s Rahmatullah Kakar demanded provincial autonomy to end the centre-provinces rift on various issues.

He also demanded production in court of all those who had been abducted allegedly by personnel of various agencies so that the kidnappers could be punished in accordance with law.

Another MMA senator, Dr Saed asked the government to announce a general amnesty for Baloch people by ending punitive actions against them.

He also demanded implementation of recommendations of the Mushahid Parliamentary Sub-committee.

Dr Abdul Malik of the Balochistan National Party (Hayee group) saw an international conspiracy behind the Balochistan situation and described the military operation as “part II of the international game in which rulers were playing as tools in the hands of planners”.

He pointed out that 200,000 acres land between Sonmiani and Tengol up to the border with Iran had been handed over to Pakistan Air Force and there were speculation that it would be sold to the United States.

He criticised acquisition of land for construction of army cantonments in the province.

He alleged that Gwadar and Pasni coasts had also been put on sale to foreign countries.