ISLAMABAD, Jan 14: The ‘proclamation’ regarding the imposition of governor’s rule in Balochistan was issued by the Cabinet Division early on Monday morning after it was signed by President Asif Ali Zardari who has been staying in Karachi for the last one month.

The decision to impose governor’s rule and dismiss the provincial government was announced by Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf at a gathering of representatives of the Hazara community in Quetta late on Sunday night after daylong, hectic consultations within the ruling coalition and with other political parties.

It was after this announcement that the protesters who had been staging a sit-in with bodies of the victims of Thursday’s bomb explosions on Quetta’s Alamdar Road agreed to end their protest and bury the bodies. However, they told the prime minister that they would do so only after seeing the notification.

Sources said that the government initially had planned to issue the notification after the routine opening of government offices in the morning, but had had to come into action and initiate the process immediately so that it could be issued as early as possible.

The notification says: “Whereas I, Asif Ali Zardari, President of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, on receipt of report from the governor of Balochistan and other information made available, am satisfied that the situation has arisen in which the government of the province of Balochistan cannot be carried on in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution.

“And therefore, in exercise of the powers conferred by Article 234 of the Constitution, I hereby “(a) direct the governor of Balochistan to assume on my behalf functions of the government of that province: and all or any of the powers vested in, or exercisable by, any body or authority in the province, other than provincial assembly.

“(b) Make the following incidental and consequential provisions which appeared to be necessary or desirable for giving effect to the objects of the proclamation: (i) the chief minister and provincial ministers of that province shall forthwith cease to hold respective offices; and (ii) in the exercise of the functions with the governor has been directed to assume as herein before stated, the governor shall act to such extent and subject to such conditions as I shall, from time to time, deem fit to give or impose.

“The order shall, unless varied or revoked earlier, remain in force for a period of two months.”