Chief Minister Balochistan Aslam Raisani's government has been dismissed in the province. – Photo by Online

QUETTA: Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf has announced imposition of governor rule in Balochistan under article 234 of the constitution, DawnNews reported.

Addressing protesters at Alamdar Road, the prime minister said the governor would be the chief executive of the province from today.

Chief Minister Nawab Aslam Raisani's government has been dismissed.

Governor Balochistan Nawab  Zulfiqar Magsi accompanied the prime minister during negotiations with members of the Solidarity Council.

The prime minister said frontier corps has been given policing powers to maintain law and order situation in the province.

He assured that targeted operation would be conducted in Quetta and other parts of Balochistan to ensure security of people.

Raja Pervez Ashraf said Corps Commander would monitor the performance of frontier corps in maintaining law and order situation in the province.

He requested the protesters to bury the 86 dead bodies. However, Qayum Changezi the leader of Solidarity Council refused to bury the dead bodies.

"Until notification of governor rule is issued our protest would continue", Changezi told the prime minister.

The prime minister assured the members of Solidarity Council that the governor has the power to call armed forces in aid of civil forces.

He said before imposition of Governor Rule, he had taken leaders of mainstream political parties into confidence.

"We want to defeat mindset of terrorism", the prime minister assured.

The prime minister had spoken with President Asif Ali Zardari on the telephone over the issue. The president gave his approval after consulting with constitutional and legal experts.

Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf had also taken other coalition partners into consideration over the issue.

MQM chief Altaf Hussain, ANP chief Asfandyar Wali and PML-Q leader Chaudhary Shujaat Hussain had all urged Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf to impose governor rule in Balochistan.

Opinion

Editorial

Back in parliament
Updated 27 Jul, 2024

Back in parliament

It is ECP's responsibility to set right all the wrongs it committed in the Feb 8 general elections.
Brutal crime
27 Jul, 2024

Brutal crime

No effort has been made to even sensitise police to the gravity of crime involving sexual assaults, let alone train them to properly probe such cases.
Upholding rights
27 Jul, 2024

Upholding rights

Sanctity of rights bodies, such as the HRCP, should be inviolable in a civilised environment.
Judicial constraints
Updated 26 Jul, 2024

Judicial constraints

The fact that it is being prescribed by the legislature will be questioned, given the political context.
Macabre spectacle
26 Jul, 2024

Macabre spectacle

Israel knows that regardless of the party that wins the presidency, America’s ‘ironclad’ support for its genocidal endeavours will continue.