QUETTA, June 27: The budget for the fiscal year 2007-08 will not solve the problems being faced by the common people. Speaking at a general debate over the budget on Tuesday during a provincial assembly session here, opposition member Jan Mohammad Buledi claimed that Balochistan had been denied its political rights and its inhabitants were suffering.

Speaker Jamal Shah Kakar chaired the proceedings.

Mr Buledi said the tussle between democratic forces and military rulers was over the supremacy of parliament as the former believed in collective decisions while the latter imposed its will on others.

He claimed that Balochistan had always played the role of a vanguard in the democratic movements against autocratic rulers such as Ayub Khan, Yahya Khan, Z.A. Bhutto and Ziaul Haq, adding that the Balochs were the first people to challenge the Musharraf government.

He alleged that the present government had used jet fighters, helicopters and heavy artillery in military operations in Dera bugti and Kohlu, which killed hundreds of innocent people, including Nawab Akbar Bugti.

He accused security forces of oppression and said thousands of Bugti tribesmen had migrated to Dera Murad Jamali and other areas.

He said Balochistan had been deprived of its just share in Sui gas revenue and Indus water allocation.

Mr Buledi claimed that the Gwadar seaport had not been constructed for the benefit of Baloch people and alleged that the government had allocated two hundred thousand acres of land in Sonmiani coastal zone to outsiders.

Meanwhile, Deputy Speaker Mohammad Aslam Bhootani, provincial ministers Younus Chengazi, Maulana Faiz Muhammad, Mir Qaddus Bizenjo, Agha Faisal Daud and Basant Lal and Mir Haider Jamali of the treasury bench congratulated the chief minister and finance minister for presenting a ‘balanced budget’.

They credited the coalition government with providing jobs to doctors, engineers and veterinarians in the province apart from creating 3,000 posts in the budget.

Jamhoori Watan Party leader Dr Rubaba said poverty, unemployment and a lack of basic health facilities were the major problems confronting the people of the province.

Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party leader Spozmai Achakzai said the poor law and order situation and the under utilisation of funds had caused massive problems for the common man.