Balochistan Assembly session adjourned due to lack of quorum

Opposition claims provincial govt has lost majority and is unable to rule

QUETTA: The proceedings of the Balochistan Assembly were adjourned on Thursday due to lack of quorum.

The meeting started with a member of Panel of Chairman, Shahida Rauf, as the chair about 30 minutes late.

As the session for questions began, a member drew the attention of the chair towards the lack of quorum upon which the chair suspended the session for five minutes. However, the required number of members did not turn up to attend the session. The chair again suspended the session for about 15 minutes more, but consequently had to adjourn the proceedings due to lack of quorum till March 24 (Saturday).



Opposition members claimed that the incumbent government was in minority and had lost its trust; therefore, it should morally resign, adding that members of treasury benches were not taking any interest in running the government and lacked majority.

The opposition members said that the treasury benches had no right to rule and alleged that the chief minister had gone to the United States to sell out the Reko Diq mines against the will of the people. They warned that the opposition would not remain silent over it and would lodge a protest on all forums against the Reko Diq decision.

The opposition said that they did not want to break the assembly. However, completing the quorum was the responsibility of treasury benches.

These views were expressed by opposition members Sardar Aslam Bizenjo, Dr Hamid Khan Achakzai, Rehman Saleh Baloch, Sardar Mustafa Khan Tareen, Obaidullah Babat, Syed Liaquat Agha, Nasrullah Zehri, Haji Islam, Dr Shama Ishaq, Mir Abdul Khaliq Lango, Yasmeen Lehri, Spozmay Bibi, Arifa Siddiq and Masoma Hayat while addressing a joint press conference in the opposition chamber of Balochistan Assembly.

Sardar Aslam Bizenjo from the National Party alleged that members of treasury benches were not interested in running the government as provincial ministers and other members were mostly absent from the assembly meetings. “The government has lost majority and it is now functioning unconstitutionally and undemocratically,” he said, claiming that 23 members of the opposition were supporting his group while 13 members were supporting the former opposition leader.



“In such a situation there are 36 members of the opposition and those who are running the government are not capable as they lack majority and cannot make legislation,” said Aslam Bizenjo.

Moreover, opposition member Rehmat Saleh Baloch said that the government had lost its confidence and some members on opposition benches, who were allegedly involved in corruption, were running the affairs of the government.  He alleged that posts were being sold, which was a big joke with Balochistan.

“When we were in the government, we would answer all criticism in a positive manner and faced the situation. However, the incumbent government lacks all such qualities as they have been forcibly brought into the government,” said Saleh Baloch.

He added that instead of bringing Balochistan on the right track, the Planning and Development Department had been handed over to private people who were only interested in taking commissions, which would lead Balochistan towards destruction. “Rates have been set for transfers and posting. If this situation remains we will strongly protest,” he vowed.

Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party member Sardar Mustafa Khan Tareen said, “It is the responsibility of the government to ensure complete quorum as the leader of the house is abroad, while the bureaucracy does not even bother to attend the sessions of the assembly.”

Dr Hamid Achakzai said that the current Balochistan government was in minority and could not run.

Syed Liaquat Agha said that former chief minister Dr Abdul Malik Baloch truly represented Balochistan in Reko Diq case while the incumbent chief minister had gone to America to sell out Reko Diq who did not even take the concerned minister with himself. He vowed not to remain silent over the matter.