They claimed that the operation had been launched on the orders of Interior Minister Rehman Malik. On a point of order, Minister for Agriculture, Asad Baloch alleged that security forces have been carrying out massive search operations and undertaking air strikes in Mashkay tehsil of Awaran district for the past two days. The operation is aimed at finding and killing nationalist guerrilla leader, Allah Nazar, who is supposed to be leading an insurgency in Mekran and Khuzdar divisions.
“Many people have been rounded up and several have suffered injuries but the media does not have access to those areas so it cannot highlight the issues,” he said.
Speaker Aslam Bhootani asked Baloch to take up the issue in the cabinet meetings because as a minister he cannot complain in the house regarding his own government.
However, the minister, who is also Secretary General of the BNP-Awami, continued his speech despite Bhootani repeatedly reminding him that he was not allowed to make complaints as he was a part of the government.
Baloch responded to Bhootani by saying that, “We are 55 ministers and almost all of the members of the assembly are part of the cabinet and there is no opposition in Balochistan. Hence we should be allowed to raise this issue in the Balochistan Assembly because the federal government is ignorant of the province’s critical issues.”
“No one is ready to hear the voice of the Balochistan Assembly and the provincial government which is why we just want to highlight the issue for the media,” he said
Earlier, Minister for Social Welfare Mir Asghar Rind, on a point of order had also complained about the search operation in Mekran Division, saying that security forces initiated the action during which many people had been whisked away or had gone missing.
Both the ministers staged a walkout in protest against the Speaker, when Bhootani did not allow them to continue their speeches. Adviser to the chief minister Fauzia Nazir Marri also joined the protest.
Addressing a news conference, Asad Baloch said that the security forces had not even bothered to take the chief minister into confidence before they started the operation.
“They are violating the sanctity of homes and insulting the people during their search. The gunship helicopters have also shelled the mountainous areas of Mashkay,” said, Baloch. He added: “The operation is being carried out on the orders of Interior Minister Rehman Malik, who had already threatened us during his last visit to Quetta.”
He asked the federal government to stop the operation.
Meanwhile, the assembly unanimously adopted a resolution seeking the formation of a committee of members of the assembly to devise a strategy in order to reduce mortality rates.
The house also unanimously passed two bills. The Balochistan Inquiry and Anti-Corruption Bill was tabled by Minister for Irrigation Sardar Aslam Bizenjo and Balochistan Industrial Relations Bill by Minister Haji Nawaz Kakar.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 15th, 2010.
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