Raising the issue on a point of order, ANP member and Provincial Minister for Revenue Zamurk Khan added that the violation had taken place over Qila Abdullah, a district along the Pak-Afghan border. The space was trespassed upon, he said, when Nato forces jets flew at a low height for close to 20 minutes two days ago near Chaman.
“It is not the first time that Nato and international alliance forces have violated airspace in Balochistan. This frequent violation is creating fear and panic among the people living in the area,” he told the house. “The people assume that these airspace violations are an indication from Nato forces that they will soon launch an airstrike in their own districts,” he added. The US should be prevented from infringing on Pakistan’s sovereignty and the government must take action, he said.
Law and order
The breach of airspace was not the only issue on the agenda, however. The prevailing law and order situation also dominated the session during which lawmakers, and particularly the senior minister, criticised law enforcement agencies for their failure to prevent attacks on the governor, chief minister and several provincial ministers.
The legislators condemned the Balochistan Liberation Front attempt to assassinate Provincial Minister for Services and General Administration Department’s Sardar Sanaullah Zehri, the targeted killing of the Hazara community and the recent killing of Dr Mazar Khan Baloch, president of the Pakistan Medical Association.
Provincial Minister for Quality Education Jan Ali Changezi, a member of the Hazara community, expressed frustration and anger at how Hazaras were being killed with complete immunity. “The inadequate security measures in the city give rise to speculation that police have handed over the city to killers,” he said. Member of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) Maulana Wasay on the other hand blamed foreign elements for creating unrest in Balochistan by attacking high-level government officials.
TV channel funding
Provincial ministers Sardar Aslam Bezinjo and Eshan Shah drew the attention of the house towards the Balochi News Channel Wash, which according to them is suffering from a financial crisis and on the brink of closure. It is the only Balochi channel that is being neglected by the federal government even while distributing official advertisements, they said.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 18th, 2011.
COMMENTS (11)
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NATO nu maro Haito. The Losers Cannot Win Even When The Loser is a Bi-Polar Aggressor.
@Jadugar: First tell NATO to contain Taliban on its own side of the border. There are plenty of them running around in Kabul itself
@Usman: Why are they NOT defending our country's territory? No country allows the bombing of its citizens by another country! Let alone airspace violations. Do need orders from the PM to defend our country or is that not a constitutional obligation? And spare me this attitude that you are more patriotic than someone who points out a blatant wrong being done to this country by its very own! We who call a spade a spade are doing more service to this beloved land than you. We are more patriotic than you! DEFEND THIS COUNTY AGAINST THE AGGRESSOR! Thats the first job of an army. It does not matter if the aggressor is a militant or america.
@Babur Chughtai: I agree with you completely
Pakistan is no more a sovereign country .In order to restore it . She has to fulfil her commitments .what she has given to international community regarding the terorism and sustainable development .
Pakistani military will have to expel American stooges in Islamabad and from inside the Pakistani media. We can't confront American and Indian designs with a fifth column breeding inside.
If Pakistan fails to contain the cross border Taliban attacks and give shelter to these terrorist in Pakistan then NATO has every right to protect its soldiers and if necessary chase them and kill the people.
@Doctor: Are we not tried of this cheap anti-Army rhetoric already? We are happy living under the most corrupt Govt. in our history and train guns at the only institution that is holding the fort against militants/US/Nato/India? Let me tell you one thing ,NO ONE, not the media, not the public in Western countries are allowed to raise voices against their security institutions. It's only the Pak Army that is tolerating rabid dillusional citizens and corrupt Govts. alike.
Pakistan complains if the USA doesn't fight the Taliban near the border -- Pakistan complains when the USA fights the Taliban near the border -- whats new?
upcomming FATA