Ethnic Hazara Shia women hold placards during a demonstration in Quetta on Wednesday to condemn the shootout in Mastung by unidentified gunmen a day earlier. – Photo by Reuters

ISLAMABAD: Legislators belonging to the Pakistan Muslim League-N and Jamaat-i-Islami submitted adjournment motions to the National Assembly and Senate secretariats on Wednesday seeking debates on the killing of 29 people in Tuesday’s sectarian attack in Balochistan.

The motions filed by nine PML-N MNAs and three JI senators regretted the poor law and order situation in Balochistan and termed the Mastung incident a failure of the provincial government.

“It is the responsibility of the state to provide protection to life and property of every citizen.

‘‘However, today the state has failed to fulfil its constitutional responsibility,” the motion submitted by the MNAs said.

They expressed concern over an increase in incidents of target killing in Balochistan which, they said, had already been facing a critical situation.

They alleged that both the federal and provincial governments were playing the role of silent spectators while the sense of deprivation was increasing among the people of the province.

They called for a comprehensive policy to deal with the law and order situation in Balochistan after a thorough debate in parliament.

The PML-N MNAs who have filed the motion are Pervez Malik, Rana Mehmoodul Hassan, Raja Mohammad Asad, Tahira Aurangzeb, Waseem Akhtar Sheikh, Nuzhat Sadiq, Malik Shakir Bashir Awan, Nighat Perveen and Nisar Tanveer.

Prof Khurshid Ahmed, Prof Mohammad Ibrahim and Afia Zia of the JI have submitted the motion to the Senate secretariat.

Opinion

Four hundred seats?

Four hundred seats?

The mix of divisive cultural politics and grow­th-oriented economics that feeds Hindu middle-class ambition and provides targeted welfare are key ingredients in the BJP’s political trajectory.

Editorial

Weathering the storm
Updated 29 Apr, 2024

Weathering the storm

Let 2024 be the year when we all proactively ensure that our communities are safeguarded and that the future is secure against the inevitable next storm.
Afghan repatriation
29 Apr, 2024

Afghan repatriation

COMPARED to the roughshod manner in which the caretaker set-up dealt with the issue, the elected government seems a...
Trying harder
29 Apr, 2024

Trying harder

IT is a relief that Pakistan managed to salvage some pride. Pakistan had taken the lead, then fell behind before...
Return to the helm
Updated 28 Apr, 2024

Return to the helm

With Nawaz Sharif as PML-N president, will we see more grievances being aired?
Unvaxxed & vulnerable
Updated 28 Apr, 2024

Unvaxxed & vulnerable

Even deadly mosquito-borne illnesses like dengue and malaria have vaccines, but they are virtually unheard of in Pakistan.
Gaza’s hell
Updated 28 Apr, 2024

Gaza’s hell

Perhaps Western ‘statesmen’ may moderate their policies if a significant percentage of voters punish them at the ballot box.