Provincial governor cancels Balochistan Assembly session

Provincial assembly secretariat writes letter to governor secretariat questioning govt’s legitimacy to hold session.

Acting governor Balochistan Muhammad Aslam Bhootani has cancelled the Balochistan Assembly session scheduled to be held tomorrow, reported Express News on Monday.

According to a statement issued by the governor house, the provincial assembly secretariat, on behalf of the speaker, wrote a letter to governor secretariat questioning the legitimacy of the provincial government to summon a session in light of Supreme Court’s October 12 orders.

Since the decision to summon a session was taken on directives of the chief minister, the acting governor took back his decision and cancelled the session.

After the Supreme Court passed an interim order in the Balochistan law and order case, it became unclear whether the provincial government retained its constitutional status.

Bhootani, the assembly’s speaker, had earlier questioned whether an attempt to summon a session of the Balochistan Assembly would amount to contempt of court.

While the government is still technically in place, its legitimacy has come under closer scrutiny after the Supreme Court questioned its constitutional status, given that it had lost the authority to govern the province following its interim order last month.