Reactions: Balochistan’s political parties welcome SC order

Political parties say provincial govt has lost constitutional value.

QUETTA: Political parties welcomed the Supreme Court’s short order in the Balochistan and its law and order situation, saying that the Balochistan government now has no constitutional value.

Echoing the court’s ruling, National Party President Dr Malik Baloch said that the current government failed in protecting the lives and property of the people. “If the government can’t accomplish its constitutional responsibilities, it should resign immediately,” he said.

Dr Jahanzaib Jamaldeni, acting president of the Balochistan National Party, said that the court’s verdict is a clear indication that Balochistan’s government lost its responsibility to rule the province. “The Balochistan chief minister has a tribal status and for the sake of it he should resign,” he said, adding, “Interior Minister Rehman Malik’s absence from the Balochistan Assembly session is a clear indication that the federal government is not interested to resolve the Balochistan conflict.”

Similarly, Provincial president of Pakthunkhwa Milli Awami Party Usman Kakar was critical of the provincial government, claiming it had broken all records of corruption since coming into power.

“Kidnapping for ransom has became a most lucrative business in the province, people haven’t seen any development in education and health sectors,” he said. Kakar also demanded the Supreme Court scrutinise the performance of the provincial government in the last five years.

Meanwhile, Chairman of Hazara Democratic Party Abdul Khaliq Hazara said that more than 800 people have been in sectarian attacks during the current government’s tenure, adding that they had failed to perform their basic constitutional responsibilities. “Despite the fact that the government has no constitutional value, the chief minister of Balochistan has received a confidence vote from the assembly,” he added.

However, former provincial president of Pakistan People’s Party Balochistan Nawabzada Lashkari Raisani said that the Supreme Court should have guided the Balochistan government before announcing its verdict.

He expressed these views during an inauguration ceremony in Wali Mohammad Angariya Goth, near Uthal district.

Meanwhile the Provincial Minister for Urban Planning and Development Mohammad Ismail Gujjar said that there were ‘certain elements’ that are creating a law and order problem to remove the elected government.

The provincial government, he said, had come to power on the strength of the people, adding that it has provided jobs to 30, 000 unemployed people in Balochistan.