Opposition assails Govt over Army action in Kohlu
Staff Report

ISLAMABAD—Alliance for Restoration of Democracy (ARD) Friday demanded of the government bringing to an end the on-going army operation in Balochistan, announced for staging a protest demonstration against operation in front of the parliament house on December 29. This was transpired at meeting of the alliance held here with its President Amin Fahim in the chair. The ARD agreed upon holding a meeting of head of the Alliance the same day to ponder over launching of the campaign against the incumbent government.
Senate on Friday started debate on the situation in Balochistan after the House unanimously adopted an adjournment motion moved by Leader of the House Wasim Sajjad to discuss the recent occurrences in the province. Senator Amanullah Kinrani participating in the debate gave an account of present situation in Balochistan especially action being taken against miscreants in Kohlu and other areas.
He claimed that a number of people including women and children were killed during the operation. The Senator also claimed that several people have been taken into custody and kept at unknown places.
He also informed the house about lifting of 20 office bearers of CBA Union of PPL, Sui from Karachi by unknown persons and said no one knows about their whereabouts even after passage of two week. Senator Mahim Khan Baloch said recent situation is continuity of what has happened in the past and suggested to control this situation through dialogue and democratic institutions.
Mahim Khan Baloch said the democracy and continuity of democratic process and supremacy of law and constitution is only solution to all such problems. “All the provinces should also be given administrative and financial autonomy,” he added. Stressing a need for complete eradication of feudal and tribal system from the country, he said the government should take concrete steps to remove “Sardari” system from Balochistan.
Opposition parties in the Senate Friday walked out from the House after Leader of the Opposition in the Senate Raza Rabbani and Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Dr Sher Afgan Niazi exchanged hot words on the issue of Kalabagh dam. Dr Sher Afgan had stated that Benazir Bhutto during her tenure in the government had desired to construct Kalabagh dam and Ghulam Mustafa Khar was assigned the task to create an atmosphere for construction of this reservoir.
He said the then Chairman WAPDA Shamsul Mullak also gave briefing on the dam and “I was a minister then in the Cabinet of Benazir Bhutto”. Raza Rabbani denied the claim of the minister and both the sides exchanged charges and counter charges when the Chair advised them to maintain decorum in the House. The opposition then staged a walk-out.
The Chair expunged the objectionable remarks of both the sides. Later, Sher Afgan said what he said was part of the record as both Nawaz Sharif and Benazir had desired to construct Kalabagh dam and Nawaz Sharif backed out due to political pressure.