Lawmakers Urge To Increase Seats For Balochistan Province

Balochistan Assembly has passed a resolution demanding an increase of 20 seats in its current 65-member legislature after it surfaced that the new delimitation in the province was flawed, on Saturday.

QUETTA, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 24th Mar, 2018 ) :Balochistan Assembly has passed a resolution demanding an increase of 20 seats in its current 65-member legislature after it surfaced that the new delimitation in the province was flawed, on Saturday.

Balochistan Provincial Assembly Session was held at Balochistan Assembly here today, presided by Speaker Raheela Khan Durrani. The resolution stated that, Balochistan Assembly is authorized by Article 144 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, that under Article 51 and 106 of the Constitution, Balochistan Assembly can increase number of National Assembly seats for Balochistan to 24, 5 reserved seats for women.

Additionally, number of provincial assembly general seats can be increased to 20, reserved seats for women to 4 and one additional seat for minorities. Speaking on the relevance of the resolution, opposition leader Abdul Rahim Ziaratwal said the number Balochistan MNA's in the National Assembly is equal to salt in the flour.

Whenever we demand for equal resources to Federal government, people of the establishment division tell us the same thing that resources are being distributed by the ratio of population only. Food Products can be distributed by population, but distribution of other resources also with population ratio is injustice with the province.

In this regard, speaker Rahila Hameed Khan Durrani constituted a committee of MPAs for approaching all elected senators and MNAs to ensure implementation of its resolution. The speaker said, "Balochistan election commissioner should remove apprehensions of public representatives regarding new delimitations." It was also decided that the provincial election commissioner would be summoned to brief the legislators on the delimitation process carried out in Balochistan.

The resolution was jointly moved by provincial ministers and opposition members in the assembly. National Party member Mir Rehmat Saleh Baloch while presenting adjournment motion during the session said that every vehicle in Panjgur is charged Rs.200 tax which is illegal, Deputy Director of Agriculture and Deputy Commissioner are also involved in this course of bribery.

When Chief Minister Baluchistan himself has said that no amount would be received at check posts, then how security personnel's deployed at check posts receiving taxes from citizens, Provincial minister for agriculture should take notice of these illegal activities.

Provincial Minister for agriculture Sheikh Jaffar Khan Mandokheil said that we are elected to resolve public issues, department will take strict action against government officers involved in this matter.

Home Minister Mir Sarfaraz Bugti requested Rehmat Saleh Baloch to withdraw this adjournment motion and said that I assure this matter would be investigated, no one would be allowed to receive illegal taxes from the masses at security check posts all across the province, on which Rehmat Saleh Baloch agreed and withdrawal the motion he presented.

Muslim League (N) Muhammad Khan Lehri presented a joint resolution in the House, saying that Naseerabad Division is an agricultural area, most of the wheat crop cultivation and harvestation throughout Balochistan is carried out in this district, wheat crop is cultivated, grown fully and matures till start of March but harvest starts from March 25.

Balochistan government makes wheat procurement plan after wheat crop harvestation, while other provinces of the country wheat procurement plan is prepared before harvestation, due to which Balochistan government starts purchase of wheat in late June instead of March, landowners are facing many problems in this area.

The provincial government has been opined to take concrete steps to start wheat procurement in month of March, to facilitate landowners. After the resolution was presented, Home Minister Mir Sarfaraz Bugti assured that he will raise this issue again in the next session, in this matter Chief Minister and Advisor to CM for food will be concerned.

He requested Muhammad Khan Lehri to withdraw this motion, on which he agreed and withdrawal his adjourned motion. Later on, the session of Balochistan provincial assembly was adjourned till 27th March.