Balochistan Assembly: Ministers walk out over doctor’s murder

Speaker Aslam Bhootani chaired session and deferred the question and answer session due to the absence of ministers.

QUETTA:

Three ministers belonging to Balochistan National Party-Awami (BNP-A) walked out of the Balochistan Assembly proceedings on Saturday in protest against the targeted killing of Doctor Naseem Baloch and the police’s failure to protect the life and property of people in the province.

Dr Baloch was shot dead at his clinic by unknown assailants in Pasni on Friday.

Speaker Aslam Bhootani chaired the session and deferred the question and answer session due to the absence of ministers.

Provincial minister for agriculture, Asad Baloch, drew the house’s attention to the murder.

“Many teachers, doctors, politicians, engineers and others have been brutally murdered by culprits with complete impunity and in broad daylight. Ironically, police and law enforcing agencies have not been able to arrest a single culprit behind these ruthless killings,” he added.

Baloch, who is also the parliamentary leader of BNP-A, said there would be anarchy if measures are not been taken to arrest the culprits.

“The provincial government allocates Rs11 billion for the maintenance of law and order, but still police and other law enforcing agencies have failed to give an output or a positive result,” he said, adding that senior police officers must be held accountable for their failure to protect the life and property of the people.

He walked out from the session and said he would not rejoin until the culprits behind Dr Baloch’s murder were arrested. The speaker adjourned the session until Tuesday.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 18^th, 2011.