QUETTA, March 21 The Balochistan Assembly condemned on Saturday an alleged US plan to use drones against the Taliban leaders reportedly hiding in the province and warned that the attacks would have serious repercussions.

Through a resolution, which was passed unanimously, the assembly called on the federal government to play its role in stopping the Obama administration from carrying out drone attacks in Balochistan.

Senior minister Maulana Wasay tabled the resolution on behalf of Aslam Bizenjo, Jaffar Khan Mandokhel, Sanaullah Zehri, Syed Ehsan Shah, Abdul Khaliq Bashardost and Jay Prakash.

The lawmakers, in their speeches, accused the United States of attacking sovereign states to exploit their natural resources and said that the “9/11 drama” was used to topple the Taliban regime in Afghanistan.

They said the US occupation of Afghanistan was aimed at keeping an eye on China and Russia.

The speakers said hundreds of innocent people had been killed in drone strikes in Waziristan, Bajaur, Landi Kotal and Bannu, but the US failed to kill any major Al Qaeda or Taliban leader in these attacks.

The lawmakers said the drone attacks were aimed at justifying presence of US and Nato forces in Afghanistan.

The Balochistan lawmakers said the Mujahideen were favourites of Washington when they were fighting against the former Soviet Union, but now they were being called terrorists.

They said that instead of carrying out drone attacks, the US administration should talk to the Balochistan government. They said no Taliban leader was hiding in any part of the province, including Quetta.

HUNTING The assembly passed another resolution against hunting of endangered bird species in the province.

The resolution, tabled by Dr Fauzia Nazir Marri, stated that despite a ban imposed by the provincial government, the federal government was issuing permits to foreign dignitaries.

Taking part in the debate, Asad Baloch, Anisuddin Shams, Ehsan Shah, Habibur Rehman Mohammad Hasni, Jan Ali Changezi and Maulana Samad Akundzada said that issuance of permits and allotment of land to foreign dignitaries, particularly the rulers from the Gulf states, by the federal government was an interference in provincial matters.

They said the federal government had no authority to allot land in Balochistan or allow hunting of birds without prior approval of the provincial government.

The third resolution, passed by the assembly unanimously, called upon the federal government to direct the Sindh government to take note of alleged threats by the Muttahida Qaumi Movement to Pakhtuns to leave Karachi.

Mover of the resolution Jaffar Mandokhel, Capt (retd) Abdul Khaliq Achakzai, Maulvi Abdul Bari, Rubina Irfan and Sultan Khan Tareen asked the MQM leadership to change its “anti-Pakhtun stance”.

“Creating troubles for Pakhtuns in Karachi would have negative effects on national solidarity.”

Speaker Aslam Bhootani adjourned the session till Tuesday.