Opposition slams govt over 'hidden' deals in Balochistan

Says govt repeating mistakes committed by previous regimes

QUETTA: Opposition parties have criticised the government of Chief Minister Jam Kamal for “repeating the mistakes of the previous regime by keeping agreements signed with the Chinese government hidden from the public”.

This came during a Balochistan Assembly sitting on Saturday presided over by Deputy Chairman Sardar Babar Musakhail.

The opposition members demanded that the CM should have taken the entire House into confidence before proceeding to China as part of the high-level visit led by Prime Minister Imran Khan.



Speaking on the floor of the assembly, Sanaullah Baloch of the Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M) said the prime minister should take the Balochistan Assembly into confidence regarding the agreements being signed in China about the future of the province.

He said the Government of Pakistan had decided to take assistance from China for eradicating poverty. He demanded of the government to prioritise Balochistan on any programmes against poverty.

With regard to the BNP-M’s six-point accord with the PTI government, Baloch said party chief Sardar Akthar Jan Mengal had informed the federal government that its implementation was necessary to address the issues of the province.

Speaking on the occasion, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) MPA Malik Sikander advocate said the provincial government kept the CM’s visit to China hidden from the assembly. He demanded of the government to present agreements with the Chinese government before the House.

Debating on the draft bill for the construction of Gwadar University, Minister for Information and Higher Education Mir Zahoor Buledi said the bill had immense importance because a university was the need of the hour for the locals.

Lauding the support of the opposition, he said, “The federal government has allocated Rs1 billion for the university, and we should not delay it.”

The lawmakers, meanwhile, unanimously approved the bill for setting up Government Employees Benevolent Fund (GEBF). Buledi presented the bill.

The assembly approved the bills for establishing Gwadar University and GEBF.



However, they expressed reservations over the bill for appointment of special assistant to the chief minister. The opposition members argued that the draft bill mentioned the salary and privileges of special assistants, but not their responsibilities.

Meanwhile, members of the assembly also offered Fateha for Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Sami (JUI-S) leader Maulana Samiul Haq who was martyred in Rawalpindi on Friday. Former Balochistan chief minister Nawab Aslam Raisani requested the House to pray for the Maulana.

Malik Sikander advocate called the attack an ‘extraordinary’ issue and asked the federal government to immediately arrest the culprits and bring them to justice.