Power load-shedding echoes again in Balochistan Assembly

The Baloch Hal

QUETTA: The Balochistan Assembly session on Thursday was domineered by the issue of smuggling of cattle to the neighboring countries and long hours  load shedding

Mohammad Aslam Bhoothani, the Speaker of Balochistan Assembly, chaired the session.

The leader of Pakistan Muslim League (PML-Quaid-e-Azam) Sheikh Jaffer Khan Mandokhel tabled an adjournment motion about the smuggling of cattle to Iran and Afghanistan that was the main reason behind manifold increase in the price of meat.

Speaking on the admissibility of his motion, Jaffar Khan said that daily a large number of cattle were being smuggled to Iran and Afghanistan with the permission of federal government.

He said that owing to increase in smuggling of cattle the price of meat had been increased to 450 rupees per kg while per kg of beef had reached to 250 to 300 rupees.

He stressed that it was very important motion therefore it may be approved for a debate so that all legislatures could come up with their suggestion.

Other members including Sardar Aslam Bezinjo, Nasreen Kethran, Maulana Abdul Bari Agha and senior minister Maulana Abdul Wasay supported the motion and demanded that federal government should take serious notice of the problem.

Speaker approved the adjournment motion for two hours debate for Friday as majority of the member of the house voted in its favour.

Talking on a point of order, Habib-ur-Rehman Muhammad Hassani said that protests and strikes were being held throughout the Balochistan against loadshedding that had destroyed standing crops inflicting a loss of billions of rupees to the growers. He said the authorities concerned should take serious action and evolve a strategy to solve this longstanding issue of people.

Jaffar Khan Mandokhel said that that agriculture was the mainstay of economy of Balochistan which was at the verge of destruction and added that those who were targeting electricity towers were not serving their people. “This is not the way of struggle for the rights ”, he said and added that instead of targeting power pylons they should go and fight directly who were denying them their rights.

Senior provincial minister Maulana Abdul Wasay said that under the pretext of providing security to the national installations an operation was carried out in Balochistan. “This operation destroyed province but national installations were still at stake” he added.

He demanded that the responsible persons who carried out operation in Balochistan should be held accountable and asked that what they had achieved after bombing innocent women and children.

He said that on one hand federal government was talking about Aghaz-e-Haqooq Balochistan while on the other hand Balochistan was lacking all basic amenities. “Loadshedding has destroyed the crops and made the life of poor peasants miserable”, he added.

Maulana Wasay said that it had been longstanding demand of Balochistan that there should be an alternative system or transmission line to provide electricity to the province, so that the saboteurs could not be succeeded in their designs.

Sardar Aslam Bezinjo, Syed Ehsan Shah, Saleem Khosa and Haji Nawaz, Ainullah Shams, Zahoor Buledi speaking on loadshedding issue , said that government should complete Dadu-Khuzdar and Chashma-Zhob transmission lines.

Asim Kurd Gailoo said that chief minister Balochistan had raised the issue during the meeting of energy crisis and apprised Federal Minister for Water Power Pervez Raja Ashraf about serious issue which was being faced by people. At this federal minister had assured that two rental powers stations would be installed in Balochistan, he added.

He said that Chief Minister Balochistan would visit Iran this month where he would negotiate with Iranian authorities about provision of electricity to Balochistan on war footing basis.

Earlier, the house offered fateha for the departed soul of Captain Imran Mandokhel who had embraced martyrdom FATA.