Unanimous resolution: Parliament gives nod to all-parties commission for troubled province

Passes another resolution calling for monthly review of fuel prices, instead of weekly.

ISLAMABAD:

As the apex court turns up the heat in court hearings over Balochistan, parliamentarians also warmed up to the issue in Friday’s session.

The National Assembly unanimously passed an opposition-sponsored resolution seeking the constitution of an all-parties commission (APC) “to bring about broad-based and effective reconciliation” in the province.

The resolution comes weeks after a disgruntled Baloch leader presented a six-point agenda to ameliorate the plight of the country’s largest province. The charter presented by former Balochistan chief minister, Sardar Akhtar Mengal, received widespread support, especially from the opposition parties.

Broad-based reconciliation

The resolution seeks “the active participation of all political parties in the national democratic process and ensuring full and proper representation and empowerment of the people of Balochistan.”

The exercise aims to contribute towards “much-needed improvement of the law and order situation and removal of impediments in the rapid development” of the province, said the resolution tabled by MNA Zahid Hamid of the opposition Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).

The commission would have the “mandate to bring all estranged leaders and political parties in Balochistan back into the political mainstream.”

“The commission shall urgently reach out to, and establish lines of communication with, these leaders and parties, and convey … the genuine desire of this house to rectify past mistakes,” the resolution added.

There already exists a parliamentary committee on Balochistan but the proposed commission would be different from it because it includes parties not represented in parliament, and will establish contacts with leaders “who are not ready to talk,” said Leader of the Opposition Chaudhary Nisar Ali Khan.

The commission has been asked to submit its recommendations within a month.

Earlier, during the last week of September, Mengal had presented his six-point agenda before the Supreme Court which he termed bare minimum preconditions for initiating talks between disgruntled Baloch militants and leaders, and the government.

Fuel prices

The house also unanimously approved another resolution moved by the PML-N that asked the government to immediately withdraw its decision to review prices of petroleum products on a weekly basis, and instead put in place ‘an open and transparent system’ for fixing prices on a monthly basis.

The resolution also asked the government to review the petroleum levy.

Chaudhry Nisar asked the government to follow the example of former dictator General (retd) Pervez Musharraf, who did not raise fuel prices for eight months, prior to the 2008 general elections.

Interestingly, the reference to Musharraf comes on the anniversary of the day the PML-N government was dethroned by the dictator in 1999.

Foreign spouses

Earlier, during the question hour, the Minister for Foreign Affairs informed the house that eight ministry officials have spouses who hold dual nationality.

Among them are Pakistan’s High Commissioner to Malaysia Masood Khalid and Ambassador of Pakistan to Berlin Abdul Basit, who also served as the foreign office spokesperson, the ministry said in response to a question.

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Nawabzada Malik Amad Khan said that every government servant can marry a foreign national, after requisite permission, according to the rules. Edited by Gulraiz Khan

Published in The Express Tribune, October 13^th, 2012.