QUETTA, Feb 22: The opposition, despite supporting an official resolution regarding reinstatement of Balochistan’s sacked employees in Sui Southern Gas Company, staged a walkout from the provincial assembly on Saturday as its amendment was not accommodated.

The Jamhoori Watan Party (JWP), that had backed amendment to the resolution, did not participate in the walkout.

The resolution, moved by Senior Minister Maulana Abdul Wasay, demanded that the federal government should reinstate the province’s educated youth, who were sacked in September, 1997, from the SSGC.

Maulana Wasay said Balochistan had been facing injustice for the last 50 years as Islamabad denied its rights and its people were deprived of gas supply despite the province supplying gas to the whole country.

Referring to the situation in Dera Bugti, he said incidents that took place in the area were a result of the sense of deprivation among the local people who were denied their rights by the federal government and gas companies.

He said the rates of Balochistan’s gas were less than those of Sindh and Punjab and despite the longstanding demand of the province, no step was taken to remove the difference.

“Islamabad is not providing due share to Balochistan from gas development surcharge and royalty,” the minister said.

He said that in 1994, the Benazir government gave jobs to around 600 youth of Balochistan in the SSGC but in 1997 the Nawaz Sharif government sacked them on the pressure of International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, while no employee from Sindh or Punjab was removed from service.

The senior minister demanded that the federal government should reinstate all employees of Balochistan who were sacked.

Abdul Rahim Ziaratwal of Pukhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party supported the resolution and demanded that Balochistan’s gas rates be brought at par with those of Sindh and Punjab. He said gas production should be evaluated at wells and the province should be given its share accordingly.

Haji Jumma Khan Bugti of the JWP demanded that gas companies should develop the areas from where they were producing gas and other minerals.

Shafiq Ahmed Khan of People’s Party parliamentarians, Akhtar Hussain Lango of Balochistan National Party and Jan Mohammad Buladi demanded that the province’s 5.6 per cent quota should be implemented and jobs should be provided to the youth of Balochistan in the federal services and corporations.

They suggested that the demands should be included in the resolution.

However, Speaker Jam Shah Kakar did not allow their amendments to the resolution and asked them to submit a new resolution on the issues.

Majority of the members adopted the resolution without any amendment.

Members of the BNP, the Balochistan National Movement, the PPP and the PMAP protested over the ruling and staged a walkout despite supporting the resolution.

The speaker did not allow a privilege motion moved by the Mr Ziaratwal of the PMAP in connection with international day of regional languages.

Services and General Administration Minister Mir Abdul Rehman Jamali opposed the motion on technical basis and said the matter did not affect privilege of any member.

When Mr Ziaratwal begun speaking on the motion in Pushtu, Deputy Speaker Mohammad Aslam Bhootani raised an objection saying that the member could not speak in a regional language. He said most of the members did not understand Pushtu.

A member from the treasury benches, Mir Shoaib Nusherwani, started speaking in Balochi.

When asked for a ruling, the speaker said that according to the rules, the members could speak in regional languages. However, he did not allow the motion.

Anther resolution on the agenda could not be moved as the mover, Mr Ziaratwal, was not present because of the walkout.

During the question hour, a heated debate was witnessed when Home Minister Sardar Sanaullah Zehri sought the ruling of the speaker about the existence of “Pukhtunkhwa Watan,” with reference to some remarks by Sardar Azam Khan Musakhel of the PMAP. Mr Ziaratwal contended that “Pukhtunkhwa Watan” was a fact. Other members also participated in the discussion.

The speaker ruled that no province existed with the name.

The assembly will now meet on Tuesday.