Pro-democracy motion: Balochistan Assembly backs president, PM

Resolution passed with only 10 members in attendance.

QUETTA: The Balochistan Assembly unanimously passed a resolution on Thursday in support of President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani for their efforts to strength democracy in the country despite a lack of quorum in the house.

Provincial Minister for Communication Ali Madad Jatak tabled the resolution here with only 10 out of 65 members in attendance. In the resolution, Jatak said the future of Pakistan was linked with democracy. The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader went on to state that it was necessary for all institutions to act within their defined constitutional parameters and to avoid interference in each other’s affairs.

PML-Q MPA Sheikh Jaffar Mandokhai, while backing the resolution, said that lawmakers in Balochistan had become social workers rather than being engaged in serious legislation.

“Our performance or interest can be judged from our attendance in the Assembly session. Today, you can see that only a handful of lawmakers turned up for a schedule session. We are busy constructing gutters and drainages rather than making serious legislation,” he said.

The lawmaker went on to add that Pakistan was one of the very few countries in the world where state institutions overstepped constitutional parameters.

Provincial Law Minister Begum Perveen Magsi also expressed her resentment over the lawmakers’ lack of interest in the house.

“It is utter irresponsibility that merely a few lawmakers are present in the first proceedings of the second winter session when the province is facing serious problems like law and order, shortage of gas and water,” she said.

Ghulam Jan of BNP-Awami also supported the resolution but said the government should not solely rely on claims and instead carry out practical steps to strengthen democracy in the country. Provincial ministers Ismail Gujjar, Ayenullah Shams and Shahnwaz Marri also backed the resolution.

Interestingly, none of the members pointed out the lack of quorum in the house when the resolution was tabled. Talking to reporters after the session, Speaker Aslam Bhootani said he was running the session under the given rules.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 27^th, 2012.