Balochistan to create finance commission

MPAs suggest widening Balochistan highways to avoid accidents

QUETTA: The Balochistan Assembly on Tuesday adopted a resolution regarding the establishment of a Provincial Finance Commission for distributing resources among the provincial government and the local councils.

After tabling the resolution to no avail in the last session, MPA Yasmeen Lehri tried again on Tuesday where she got unanimous support of the house.

During the session, Excise and Taxation Minister Sheikh Jaffar Mandokhel assured to take up the resolution as per the recommendations of the assembly in the next formal meeting of the provincial cabinet.

He pledged to support the move in letter and spirit during the cabinet meeting.

In her speech, Lehri strongly argued that three other provinces of Pakistan had adopted the Provincial Finance Commission resolution decades ago, while Balochistan lagged behind.

“Ignoring the issue will pile up problems of the poor people in the region,” she added.



The MPAs were of the view that the Provincial Finance Commission would help resolve many problems by making the distribution of resources more just and fair between the provincial government and the local councils.

In the past, the ruling coalition government, mainly the religious partners, had opposed the move to establish the Provincial Finance Commission as they wanted to monopolise the available resources of the province and keep local councils out of the loop.

On the issue of security and safety on highways all over Balochistan, the house decided to summon officials of the National Highway Authority.

It was suggested that the highways be widened or made dual carriageway.

A score of MPAs spoke on the occasion and made various suggestions. All of them deplored the increase in the number of road accidents on Balochistan highways where the highway police failed to check over-speeding.



The NHA would be asked to improve the road safety by redesigning and rebuilding the curves and dangerous turns on major parts of the highways.

Kishwar Ahmed Jattak, in her call attention notice, deplored the insanitary conditions in the province and called to keep the province clean and pollution-free.

Local Government Minister Sardar Mustafa Khan Tarin informed the house that the government was importing necessary machinery from China for the purpose. “As soon as the machinery arrives, the situation will improve considerably,” he replied.

Dr Shama Ishaq Baloch raised the issue of beggars who invaded the provincial capital in large numbers. She said in the absence of a proper shelter for beggars in the city, the situation had worsened.

Speaker Raheela Durrani said she could not understand the response of the department over the issue. She said Advocate General of Balochistan would be summoned to explain the government’s response.