Balochistan Assembly: NADRA under heavy criticism in sparsely-attended session
MPs condemn target killings, minorities minister urges end to Hindu kidnappings.
QUETTA:
With a total of 11 members present, the Balochistan Assembly, in absence of quorum, continued proceedings and unanimously adopted two resolutions, including one on flaws in voter lists in the province. No one pointed out the lack of quorum, which requires a minimum of 17 members to run the business of the house.
Voter lists
Provincial Minister Zahoor Buledi tabled a joint resolution about serious flaws in the voter list. The motion stated that block and house numbers are missing from voter lists, and many voters have mistakenly been registered with union councils in areas where they do not reside.
The resolution further stated that the deadline given for addressing flaws in the voter lists is too close to complete the process.
Buledi demanded that the federal government be approached in order to ensure that the election commission extends the deadline, so that voter lists can be scrutinised and verified properly.
“Balochistan covers half of the country and has a scattered population, thus it is impossible to conclude the verification process in a few months,” he said.
Lawmakers also expressed concern over the blocking of computerised national identity cards (CNICs) and alleged that the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) deliberately blocked the cards of local people and issued cards to aliens. The provincial minister for revenue alleged that “NADRA is taking bribes and issuing CNICs to foreigners”.
All 11 members backed the motion and it was unanimously adopted by the house.
Target killings
The lawmakers also condemned the target killing of Dr Mazar Baloch and urged law enforcement agencies to find the killers. “If this continues then we, the lawmakers, will not be able to face the people,” said Dr Fauzia Nazir Marri, adviser to the chief minister.
She said doctors have been on strike for a week, due to which people who cannot afford to do so are forced to go to private clinics.
The provincial assembly also paid tribute to Begum Nusrat Bhutto, admiring her services in the struggle for democracy.
Hindu kidnappings
Serious concern was also expressed by Provincial Minister for Minorities Jay Prakash Lal over the increase in kidnappings of Hindus in Balochistan.
Taking the floor on a point of order, Lal said a Hindu trader had been kidnapped fifteen months ago from Quetta, and has still not been recovered. Lal said minorities have been subjected to kidnapping for ransom for several years, but no one has paid any heed to the issue.
“We still remember the hospitalities of sardars and nawabs and how they welcomed us,” he recalled. “But now, Hindus are most vulnerable to kidnapping for ransom,” he said. The problem of kidnappings is particularly serious in the Kalat and Nasirabad areas, Lal said.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 26th, 2011.
With a total of 11 members present, the Balochistan Assembly, in absence of quorum, continued proceedings and unanimously adopted two resolutions, including one on flaws in voter lists in the province. No one pointed out the lack of quorum, which requires a minimum of 17 members to run the business of the house.
Voter lists
Provincial Minister Zahoor Buledi tabled a joint resolution about serious flaws in the voter list. The motion stated that block and house numbers are missing from voter lists, and many voters have mistakenly been registered with union councils in areas where they do not reside.
The resolution further stated that the deadline given for addressing flaws in the voter lists is too close to complete the process.
Buledi demanded that the federal government be approached in order to ensure that the election commission extends the deadline, so that voter lists can be scrutinised and verified properly.
“Balochistan covers half of the country and has a scattered population, thus it is impossible to conclude the verification process in a few months,” he said.
Lawmakers also expressed concern over the blocking of computerised national identity cards (CNICs) and alleged that the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) deliberately blocked the cards of local people and issued cards to aliens. The provincial minister for revenue alleged that “NADRA is taking bribes and issuing CNICs to foreigners”.
All 11 members backed the motion and it was unanimously adopted by the house.
Target killings
The lawmakers also condemned the target killing of Dr Mazar Baloch and urged law enforcement agencies to find the killers. “If this continues then we, the lawmakers, will not be able to face the people,” said Dr Fauzia Nazir Marri, adviser to the chief minister.
She said doctors have been on strike for a week, due to which people who cannot afford to do so are forced to go to private clinics.
The provincial assembly also paid tribute to Begum Nusrat Bhutto, admiring her services in the struggle for democracy.
Hindu kidnappings
Serious concern was also expressed by Provincial Minister for Minorities Jay Prakash Lal over the increase in kidnappings of Hindus in Balochistan.
Taking the floor on a point of order, Lal said a Hindu trader had been kidnapped fifteen months ago from Quetta, and has still not been recovered. Lal said minorities have been subjected to kidnapping for ransom for several years, but no one has paid any heed to the issue.
“We still remember the hospitalities of sardars and nawabs and how they welcomed us,” he recalled. “But now, Hindus are most vulnerable to kidnapping for ransom,” he said. The problem of kidnappings is particularly serious in the Kalat and Nasirabad areas, Lal said.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 26th, 2011.