Governance failure: ‘Govt insensitive to spiralling violence’

Says constitutionally, he is not empowered to unilaterally take corrective measures.

QUETTA:

Balochistan Governor Nawab Zulfiqar Ali Magsi has said that the provincial cabinet is insensitive to the fluid security situation in the province as it is not doing anything to stem the tide of violence.

“Maintaining law and order [in Quetta and elsewhere in Balochistan] is the responsibility of the provincial government which it has failed to perform,” Magsi said in a meeting with a delegation at the Governor House. Provincial lawmaker Jan Ali Changhazi led the delegation.

Governor Magsi said the security situation has virtually gone out of control of the provincial government. He added that constitutionally he was not empowered to unilaterally take corrective measures. However, he frequently met with the provincial chief secretary and police chief to get updates and issue necessary instructions.

Changhazi regretted that rampant violence in the province and said that the security situation was spiralling out of the provincial government’s control. He suggested that the administrative control of Quetta be handed over to the army to restore order.

Earlier, Governor Magsi postponed his scheduled visit to Jhal Magsi where he was supposed to inaugurate a car rally. He took the decision to express solidarity with the residents of Quetta and to share their grief after Thursday’s twin bombings.

He chaired a high-level security huddle that was attended among others by the chief secretary and the police chief. The meeting reviewed the security situation and took important decisions to improve law and order.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 12^th, 2013.