Balochistan Assembly: With Malik missing, session ends in 3 minutes
The Balochistan Assembly session held on Monday lasted for a grand total of three minutes after Interior Minister Rehman Malik failed to show up – and parliamentarians, most prominently the chief minister, were not at all amused by the security czar’s absence.
The minister, who was to address provincial legislators in-camera on sensitive security affairs concerning Balochistan, did not reach Quetta due to ‘unavoidable reasons’, according to reports.
While Chief Minister Nawab Aslam Raisani and other cabinet members attended the session, Balochistan Assembly Speaker Muhammad Aslam Bhootani was expectedly absent. Deputy Speaker Matiullah Agha chaired the session instead, with tight security measures in place.
Since it was an in-camera session, media was not allowed inside the house; but media men continued to report from outside the premises of the House.
Talking to reporters outside the Balochistan Assembly premises, Provincial Minister for Revenue Zamrak Khan Achakzai said that the interior minister would attend the session today (Tuesday).
Achakzai said that Monday’s session was attended by no less than 40 members and added that the Supreme Court itself had said its interim order, which appeared to pin blame on the provincial administration, was misinterpreted.
Raisani infuriated
Raisani, however, was infuriated at the interior minister’s disappearing act, and termed his not visiting Quetta as per schedule ‘non-serious’, ‘irresponsible’ and ‘undemocratic’. Talking to a group of reporters, he disclosed that Malik had himself shown interest in giving an in-camera briefing to the Balochistan Assembly on the law and order situation in the province.
Malik also requested that a formal invitation be issued to him, and he was obliged, Raisani added. The chief minister said that he would protest what he termed violation of Balochistan MPAs’ privileges.
Jamiat-Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl’s provincial parliamentary leader Maulana Abdul Wasey was also critical of the interior minister’s absence. Wasey, who is also the minister for planning and development, said that Malik’s last-minute disappearance spoke volumes of the attitude of the federal government towards Balochistan.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 4th, 2012
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The Monday session of the Balochistan Assembly was adjourned within minutes after recitation from the Holy Quran. This was the briefest session in the parliementary history of the province and the country. Why? Because the Federal Interior Minister did not show up to address the session in camera, as promised. Law and order is a provincial subject. It should be debated in the provincial assembly. Inviting a Federal Minister to address the Assembly is against the principle of provincial autonomy. Again, it was against the decorum of the Assembly to adjourn after three minutes. Another important question; How much an Assembly Session costs the Tax-payers? Please do not make democracy a joke.
I don't think Rehman Malik takes the exile government of Raisaini seriously. Probably he wanted Raisaini to visit Quetta, which is a infested with serious problem. His government is seen as vultures scavenging on the people of Balochistan, separating flesh & muscle from bones. There are no exceptions from PPP, To PML n, to ANP and the Hyena shares of JUI F.