QUETTA: The Balochistan Assembly session was thrown into disarray on Friday as Opposition Leader Younis Aziz Lehri and JUI-F lawmakers staged a boycott, preventing the scheduled briefing on the provincial education sector’s performance.
The session, presided over by Speaker Abdul Khaliq Achakzai, was disrupted following a motion, after which Education Minister Raheela Durrani and the department’s secretary were set to brief the House on the state of education in the province.
However, soon after proceedings began, Mr Lehri took the floor, alleging that the government and the education department were interfering in his constituency and bypassing him on key transfers and postings of education officers.
“A transfer order was issued the other day, and I was not even informed about which officer was appointed or transferred in my constituency,” Mr Lehri claimed, accusing the administration of discriminatory practices.
He lamented that after the formation of the coalition government, interference in his constituency had intensified.
“I remained silent on many transfers and postings, but the situation has now become unacceptable,” he said.
Mr Lehri also criticised the government for failing to issue appointment letters to successful candidates in Khuzdar despite 286 schools being closed in the district.
He pointed out that candidates had cleared tests and interviews conducted by Sardar Bahadur Khan University, yet they remained unappointed.
“In this situation, this briefing holds no significance for us. I am boycotting it,” he declared before walking out of the session. JUI-F lawmakers, including Syed Zafar Ali Agha, followed suit, leaving the House in protest.
Expressing disappointment over the opposition’s walkout, Ms Durrani, the education minister, called the protest unjustified, particularly over what she described as a “minor issue” of staff transfers.
“The opposition members just want to speak but are not willing to listen to the other side,” she said.
She urged Speaker Achakzai to mediate and convince the opposition members to return to the House, stressing that the briefing was an important opportunity to address concerns about the education sector.
However, despite efforts by a delegation of MPAs led by the education minister, the opposition refused to return.
Following a 10-minute recess to allow the opposition members to rejoin, their continued absence forced the speaker to adjourn the session for an indefinite period.
Published in Dawn, February 15th, 2025