Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz on Wednesday deplored the government's apathy and indifference toward the unrest in Balochistan and non-appointment of Balcoh people on key posts in corporations under the federal government that has furthered the sense of alienation and deprivation among the people of the province.
The issue was raised by a PML-N lawmaker from Balochistan, General Abdul Qadir Baloch (retd), on a point of order. He said that even the US has expressed concerns on Balochistan issue and urged the government to initiate dialogue with estranged Baloch leadership.
He regretted that people were being killed on daily basis in the province but the government did not take any measures to address the issue. Baloch deplored that even the House did not bother to discuss Balochistan issue seriously. He said that the House had constituted a special committee to look into the law and order situation in Balochistan and Karachi, but he added that the panel had not met for the last three month. He said the committee was scheduled to visit Balochistan and Karachi, which did not take place so far. He maintained that the prime minister and his cabinet members were seemed uninterested to redress the problems being faced by the countrymen.
He pointed out that no person from Balochistan was currently serving as federal secretary as well as Baloch people were also not being given jobs in foreign missions and other important institutions under the federal government. "How can we tell Baloch people that they are also part of the federation when they have no representation in the federal institutions?" he questioned.
However, his meaningful and thought provoking speech failed to impress the ministers, as no cabinet member bothered to respond his point of order. Another PML-N member Raza Asad accused the prime minister of executing projects worth billion of rupees in NA-148 Multan, where bye-election was going to be held as it fell vacant after Shah Mehmood Qureshi's resignation.
He alleged that the prime minister was preparing grounds for the victory of his son from the constituency. The PML-N member was, however, interrupted by a PPP lawmaker Begum Nasim Chaudhry. Contradicting the PML-N legislator, she said that he was misleading the House.
Later, speaking on a point of order she said that no fund was provided for any project in NA-148, saying that she was personally pleading the prime minister to provide funds to the poor people of the particular constituency. Speaking on a point of order a PPP legislator Abdul Qadir Patel pointed out towards media reports regarding 'Indus Airlines'. He urged the chair to constitute a special committee of the House to find facts about the reports.
He said that at a time when Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) was in bad health such reports, wherein some names of prominent parliamentarians were also coming to be behind the launching of the new private airline, should be investigated. The House witnessed a walk out protest from press gallery by journalists covering the proceedings of the National Assembly against the killing of a tribal journalist, Mukarram Khan Atif, in Charsadda. On the instructions of Speaker National Assembly Law Minister Maula Bakhsh Chandio and PML-N chief whip Sheikh Aftab visited the protesting journalist at press lounge and assured them to address their concerns upon which the media persons rejoined the press galleries.
Speaking on a point of order, PPP MNA Fakhar-un-Nisa Khokhar condemned the killing of the journalist and threats to some other journalists. She said that media's role was very vital in a democratic system and urged the relevant authorities to take notice of the threats being received by some journalists. MQM's Sajjad Ahmed also condemned the killing of Mukarram Khan and urged the government to announce compensation to his family. The House offered Fatiha for the deported soul of Mukarram Khan.
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