QUETTA: The Balochistan Assembly (BA) continued its proceedings on Tuesday sans proper quorum as all 11 members, all ministers, willfully preferred not to point out absence of proper quorum in a session in which two resolutions were passed unanimously.
Hardly 11 members had turned up to attend the scheduled meeting against the total requirement of 17 members needed to complete the quorum. Deputy Speaker Matiullah Agha presided over the session. All the lawmakers present in the assembly were members of the cabinet enjoying perks and privileges. Therefore, proceedings continued and lawmakers tabled two resolutions, which were unanimously adopted. Provincial Minister for GDA Mir Zahoor Buledi tabled the joint resolution on flawed voters’ list.
According to the text of motion, block and house numbers are missing in the voters’ list, and even the voters are mistakenly registered with other union councils and not with the union councils where they are residing. The resolution claimed that the deadline given for addressing flaws in voters’ list was too short to complete the process.
Buledi demanded the provincial government to approach the Election Commission for extension of the deadline so that the voters’ list prepared by NADRA could be scrutinised and verified in a fair manner. “Balochistan makes up half of the country and has a scattered population. Thus, it is impossible to conclude the process of verification in few months,” said Mir Zahoor Buledi while commenting on admissibility of the motion.Lawmakers expressed their deep concern over blockage of computerised national identity cards and alleged that NADRA had deliberately blocked cards of local people and issued cards to foreign nationals. “NADRA takes bribe and issues NICs to foreigners,” provincial minister for revenue alleged.
Provincial Minister Abdur Rehman Mengal said resolutions unanimously adopted in Balochistan Assembly had never been taken seriously and implemented. “The issue is serious and ought to be resolved.” All the eleven members backed the motion and it was unanimously adopted by the House.The members also condemned the target killing of Dr Mazar Baloch and urged the law- enforcement agencies to unearth the killers. “Doctors are being subjected to target killings and not a single culprit was tracked and arrested,” they deplored.“If this continues then we, lawmakers, will not face people and be unable to answer their questions,” said Dr Fauzia Nazir Marri, adviser to the chief minister.
She said doctors had been on strike for a week due to which poor people were forced to go to private clinics. Zamruk Khan also supported Dr Fauzia by saying it was the responsibility of police and law-enforcement agencies to arrest the criminals, mainly the target killers.Earlier, the members paid glowing tributes to the late Nusrat Bhutto and praised her services in struggle for democracy.
Deputy Parliamentary Leader of PPP and Provincial Minister Ali Madad Jatak, Minister for Revenue Zamruk Khan Achakzai, Minister for Quality Education Jan Ali Changezi, Minister for Sports Shahnawaz Marri and few others in their speeches praised the contribution of the late Nusrat Bhutto for democracy. Later, they converted their speeches into a resolution and paid rich tributes to her services. They also offered fateha for the departed soul of Nursat Bhutto.The deputy speaker, who was presiding over the session, adjourned the House for an indefinite period. – Dailytimes
