ISLAMABAD:
National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser on Saturday asked parliamentarians and public representatives of Balochistan to suggest solutions to the socio-economic problems faced by the province and its people.
Chairing the inaugural meeting of special parliamentary committee on Balochistan at Parliament House, Qaiser said that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) emanated from Gilgit-Baltistan and culminated in Balochistan, increasing the importance of the province.
“Balochistan and its problems are always a priority of the incumbent government,” he said. “Parliament and public representatives are the best option to propose solutions to the socio-economic problems faced by Balochistan and its people,” he said.
“Pakistan’s progress is linked to peace and progress in Balochistan,” Qaiser said, highlighting the need for the committee to examine issues related to ensuring transfer of real benefits of CPEC to the local people.
Committees of the parliamentary system across the world, Qaiser said, play a recommendatory role, therefore this committee will make every effort to recommend the best possible solutions to the problems faced by Balochistan.
The speaker mentioned that the issuance of an executive order on immediate implementation of 6% employment quota in all federal departments underlined the seriousness of Prime Minister Imran Khan to address the problems of Balochistan.
On the occasion, the speaker formed a four-member sub-committee, headed by Dr Fehmida Mirza, to develop comprehensive terms of reference (ToR) covering all issues related to Balochistan. It was also decided that a representative of Balochistan National Party and Defense Minister Prevaiz Khattak would be invited to assist the sub-committee in developing the ToR.
Vice President Qasim Khan Suri appreciated the President’s initiative to constitute the special committee.
He noted that the government is seriously studying the solution to the problems that affect peace and development in the province.
Inter-provincial coordination minister Mirza told the committee that Balochistan issues had always been the top priority of parliamentarians.
He noted that comprehensive ToRs were essential for the committee to be more effective. Khattak said the government had taken several measures to mitigate the grievances of the people of Balochistan.
Representing Balochistan National Party (BNP) chief Sardar Akhtar Mengal, National Assembly legislator Agha Hassan Baloch maintained that Balochistan’s problems were intensifying since 2006 and needed to be resolved immediately.
He asked to examine the recommendations, proposed after a meeting between the previous parliamentary committee, headed by Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, and the late Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti.
Published in The Express PAkGazette, June 28th2020.
