Opposition walks out of Balochistan PA over Centre’s decision to abolish Levies force in province

QUETTA: The opposition staged a walkout from the Balochistan Assembly on Thursday in protest against the federal government’s decision to abolish the Levies force in the province, based on a letter from a former MNA from ex-Fata.

The session, chaired by Deputy Speaker Ghazala Gola, began after a delay of one hour and fifteen minutes.

Opposition Leader Younis Aziz Zehri raised the issue on a point of order, expressing serious concern that a former MNA from Fata had written to the prime minister, who then reportedly directed the Chief Secretary to disband the Levies force. “Our resolutions and letters are ignored, yet a letter from Fata gets immediate action,” Zehri said.

National Party MPA Rehmat Saleh Baloch questioned the federal government’s interference, asking who the former Fata MNA was to decide the fate of Balochistan’s Levies force.

Jamaat-e-Islami’s Maulana Hidayat ur Rehman Baloch said decisions about Balochistan’s future were being made by individuals from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and urged all provincial lawmakers to register their protest with the prime minister.

JUI-F’s Zabid Ali Reki also criticised the federal government, asking what the federation had ever given to Balochistan.

Following these remarks, opposition members walked out of the session.

Provincial Minister for Public Health Engineering, Sardar Abdul Rehman Khetran, responded by saying that the provincial government was making its own decisions. He stated that letters are commonly received and merely noted with remarks. He clarified that the decision to convert the Levies into police in three districts was made by the Chief Minister of Balochistan.

Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti commented that with the arrival of June, the opposition often resorts to walkouts.

In the absence of the opposition, Deputy Speaker Ghazala Gola postponed several motions and notices. These included a resolution by JUI-F’s Fazal Qadir Mandokhail to upgrade the RHC in Qamar Din Karez to a Tehsil Headquarters Hospital; a proposal by National Party’s Rehmat Saleh Baloch to create new teaching posts for mother tongue education in schools; a resolution by Jamaat-e-Islami’s Hidayat ur Rehman Baloch seeking equal job opportunities for madrassa students; and various notices regarding land allotments and the stalled extension work from Sabzal Road to Airport Road via Killi Gul Muhammad. The session was adjourned until 10am on May 31.