Investigation into Balochistan University scandal at standstill

Parliamentary committee to meet again on 23rd and nominate chairman

QUETTA: Balochistan Assembly’s Parliamentary Committee constituted to probe into the alleged blackmailing and harassment scandal at the Balochistan University could not start its investigation as it failed to elect committee chairman in its first meeting on Friday.

The 10-member body, which met to elect the chairman and start a probe into the scandal, postponed the meeting till October 23 after divided response over nomination of candidates for the top slot.

For committee’s chairmanship, Treasury members had proposed the name of Syed Ehsan Shah but the Opposition wanted to elect Sanaullah Baloch.

The committee was constituted by Balochistan Assembly Speaker Mir Abdul Qudoos Bizenjo in the last assembly session with an order to submit the findings within 10 days after heated debate on the university scandal. As per the directives, committee’s task is to investigate the issue from “every angle”. The committee members include Sanaullah Baloch, Shakilla Naveed Dehwar, Mah Jabeen Sheeran, Syed Fazal Agha, Mir Asad Baloch, Syed Ehsan Shah, Nasarullah Khan Zerey, Mir Saleem Ahmed Khosa, Danesh Kumar, and Malik Naeem Bazai.

Meanwhile, the Balochistan Students Organisations (BSO) of the province have called for a judicial commission for conducting an impartial investigation into the Balochistan University scandal.

The call came during a joint news conference at Quetta Press Club addressed by Malik Omar Kakar, Alamgir Khan and Saman Baloch members of BSO, including Pashtun Students Organisation, and Peoples Students Federation.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 19^th, 2019.