Iran, Afghanistan: Balochistan Assembly members seek action against livestock smuggling

The members of Balochistan Assembly during Thursday session emphasised the need to halt unchecked smuggling of livestock to Iran and Afghanistan besides taking measures on war-footing basis to resolve prolonged power loadshedding issue. Speaker Muhammad Aslam Bhootani presided over the session. PML-Q MPA Jaffar Khan Mandokhail tabled his adjournment motion seeking debate on continuos smuggling of livestock to Iran and Afghanistan in order to adopt measures to stop this menace.
He said thousands of camels, cows, goats and sheep were being smuggled to neighbouring countries of Iran and Afghanistan via Balochistan border on daily basis, adding such act is triggering the prices of mutton and beef in the province. He noted that presently in Quetta, mutton is being sold at Rs 450 per kg and beef at Rs 300 a kg.
He feared that prices of mutton and beef might surge to Rs 1000 a kg and Rs 500 per kg within four months if livestock smuggling to neighbouring countries was not halted. He claimed that dozens of trucks loaded with animals could be witnessed on Dalbandin and Chaman highways, plying to Iran and Afghanistan respectively.
Minster for Irrigation Aslam Bezinjo underlined the need to check which elements on borders were involved to allow the smugglers to smuggle thousands of Pakistani animals to Iran and Afghanistan. The minister without portfolio Nasreen Khaitran demanded that issuance of permit of livestock export should be banned in order to halt smuggling to Iran and Afghanistan.
Minster for Public Health Engineering Maulana Abdul Bari viewed that issuance of permits had defamed the democratic system, adding it should be annulled in the interests of public. Maulana Abdul Wasey while presenting the government's stance over the issue said both issues including permit for livestock export and their smuggling would be reviewed. The speaker directed the Secretary Assembly to ask Livestock Department's officials to remain present at the assembly gallery during upcoming debate.
Speaking on point of order, Habib Muhammad Hasni said various cities of Balochistan including Kharan, Nuskhi and Washak were observing strike against prolonged power loadshedding, adding electricity supply could not be resorted to some cities on the pretext of blowing up the electricity towers by unidentified armed men.
Speaker Bhootani said at the Energy Conference held recently, CM Balochistan had raised the issue and Federal Minister for Water and Power Raja Pervaiz Ashraf assured him of carrying out repairing work of damaged electricity transmission line as early as possible. Wasey stressed the need to ensure security to national installations. He said electricity shortage had devasted fruits gardens in Balochistan.
On this occasion, Speaker Bhootani asked three ministers Maulana Abdul Bari, Asfandyar Kakar and Tahir Mehmood Khan to meet the traders staging protest outside the assembly premises against prolonged power loadshedding and for payment of compensation to vicitms of Quetta City Center blaze. Bezinjo said during Wednesday meeting of the provincial cabinet, the issue of damage to transmission line was discussed while Quetta Electricity Supply Company officials apprised the government that although new towers had been erected replacing damaged ones, however, one month period was needed for process of laying electricity wires.
Minister Ahsan Shah said three district of Makran Division were also forced to brave power loadshedding while they are getting 35MW electricity from Iran. He maintained that eight-hour daily power loadshedding could be overcome in Makran if Iran was requested to supply another 35MW electricity to the Pakistan.
Saleem Khosa mentioned that agriculture in Jafarabad and Nasirabad districts have been destroyed due to power loadshedding. Haji Nawaz noted that due to power outages, apple gardens of Balochistan had dried up, as their tube-well operation could not be carried out to irrigate them. Zahoor Bulaidi noted that power loadshedding had rendered unemployed millions of workers of 18000 industrial units in Faisalabad while it had devastated agriculture sector of Balochistan. He also sought import of electricity from Iran.