Balochistan CM issues orders for formation of standing committees

Kamal approves Rs20m for installation of smart traffic signals at 14 places in Quetta

QUETTA: Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Kamal Khan has issued directions for formation of standing committees, saying they play an important role in assemblies.

Speaking on the floor of the Balochistan Assembly on Friday, the chief minister said, “In the wake of Balochistan High Court’s decision on Public Sector Development Fund (PSDP), it is suggested that the notification of formation of Standing Committee on Planning and Development be issued so it [standing committee] could convey its recommendations to the house.”



Kamal said, “The assembly members can discuss matters thoroughly. The PSDP is a part of the budget. No scheme can be included in the PSDP on the desire of a member. All the schemes are included in it on policy level.”

He said the cabinet was looking into the matter and there was no forum bigger than the assembly, adding that if the ministers and members of the provincial assembly required any information, the department (planning and development) would provide it to them.

Polling station
Meanwhile, the Balochistan Assembly’s hall has been declared a polling station for the presidential election scheduled to be held on September 4. Deputy Speaker Babar Khan Musakhail presided over the session.

Provincial Minister for Home Saleem Ahmed Khosa moved the motion for declaring the assembly hall as a polling station for the election of the president of Pakistan.

The house approved the motion without any opposition.

Through another motion, which was also presented by the home minister, the hall was also declared as a polling station for the election on a vacant Senate seat from Balochistan to be held on September 12.

Traffic issues

Separately, the chief minister chaired a session to address the traffic issues in Quetta.



During the meeting, Kamal expressed concern over the traffic jams and under-construction projects in Quetta.

He directed authorities to fully functionalise the Building Control Authority (BCA) in order to ensure that all builders abide by the building code.

During the session, it was felt that despite presence of building code and traffic laws, they were not being implemented in the city and the construction of Traffic Engineering Bureau was hanging in the balance for a long period of time.

It was decided that all encroachments on main roads in Quetta would be demolished so that traffic flow could get smoother in the city.

It was also decided that a coherent link would be established among all departments for coordination in development of the provincial capital.

It was also directed that vehicle showrooms, godowns and garages would be shifted outside the city and no licence would be issued to hospitals and plazas that lacked parking facilities.

The Quetta Development Authority was directed to collect data of approved and unapproved buildings while the Department of Urban Planning was directed to prepare a master plan of the city.

The chief minister also approved Rs20 million for the installation of smart traffic signals at 14 places in Quetta and directed authorities to complete on time the parking plazas, currently under construction, at various points in the city.