K-P to probe sealing of its Islamabad home

Speaker says police action in capital against province's dignity

PESHAWAR:

The focus of Monday's provincial assembly session was the sealing of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa House in Islamabad last week, and it was decided that an 11-member committee of government and opposition members would investigate the matter.

The body will also look into the alleged vandalism and acts of violence carried out on the premises by the police. During the session of the K-P Provincial Assembly, Speaker Babar Saleem initiated a discussion on the incidents in Islamabad. He condemned the way Rangers and police officers attacked the K-P House, assaulted people, and fired rubber bullets.

He said the incident was unprecedented and mentioned that the doors of rooms designated for the chief minister, speaker, and ministers were broken, and items were forcibly taken from people.

Saleem further stated that the sealing of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa House, in the presence of a magistrate, as seen on television, is unacceptable.

He criticised the federal government's actions in isolating a province from Islamabad and imposing restrictions, noting that this could provoke the people of K-P. He asked the assembly members for their opinion on the matter, emphasising that it was an issue of the province's and the assembly's dignity.

In response to a suggestion from the opposition, a special committee was formed after consultations with the government. K-P Law Minister Aftab Alam presented the motion to establish the committee, which was unanimously approved.

The committee will be chaired by MPAs Muneer Hussain Laghmani, with members including Opposition Leader Dr Abadullah Khan, MPAs Akhtar Khan, Iftikhar Mashwani, Muhammad Arif, Shafiullah, Johar Muhammad, Asif Khan, Ahmed Kundi, Adnan Khan, and Muhammad Nisar.

The committee will visit Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa House in Islamabad, personally assess the situation, and submit its report to the assembly.

Also, the assembly has unanimously approved six resolutions, including separating disabled individuals from the seniority list of general employees and ensuring the implementation of the two per cent quota for disabled persons.

During the assembly session, senior MPA Mushtaq Ghani presented a resolution stating that a two per cent quota has been allocated for the employment of disabled individuals; however, they are often grouped with general employees, and their seniority is placed at the end.

"Therefore, the assembly recommends to the provincial government that the seniority of disabled individuals be kept separate from that of general employees and that they be promoted based on the two percent quota. Furthermore, the proposed law should be amended to grant them their rights," the resolution read.

In his second resolution, he demanded that the government approve a council for physiotherapist doctors in K-P and create a service structure for them. According to MPA Munir Laghmani's resolution, there was significant loss of life and property in Tehsil Balakot due to the earthquake on October 8, 2005, and this resulted in the two union councils of Balakot and Galat being declared a red zone.

He added land was acquired in Gabbiral for New Balakot City, after which the allocated funds for it were transferred to another province by EIRA.