Balochistan Govt. Embarrasses Malik: Disowns All Decisions

The Baloch Hal News

QUETTA: In a dramatic move to embarrass the Federal Interior Minister, Mr. Rehman Malik, a spokesman of the Balochistan government disowned all his decisions announced at a news conference at the CM Secretariat on Wednesday intended to ban all Baloch armed groups and give the Frontier Corps (FC) the policing powers.

An official handout categorically stated that the views expressed in the news conference were Mr. Rehman Malik’s personal and the government of Balochistan had nothing to do with those decisions/views.

Rehman Malik had said that the Frontier Corps had been given police powers and it command and control had been given to the Chief Minister.

Explaining the real position, the spokesman said that the Chief Minister had participated in a law and order meeting with the officials of the law enforcing agencies in which the Interior Minister was also present.

The meeting deliberated in detail the role of the Frontier Corps, Balochistan, and it was agreed that the FC had violated the FC Act exceeding its powers and duties assigned to it. It was agreed to order the FC to remain within the legal framework in future.

‘If the Provincial Government agreed, the Frontier Corps could be assigned the duties of policing in Balochistan,’ the spokesman said.

In this regard, the Provincial Government will prepare a draft proposal to the Federal Government for approval, the spokesman said.

The spokesman reminded that the command and control of the Frontier Corps is with the Federal  Interior Ministry (not with the CM) and it should function under the laws of the land and under the strict directive and supervision of the District Magistrate, the first citizen of the state in his district, the spokesman said.

If the FC violates the laws of the land and exceeds its power, the District Magistrate had powers to punish the FC officials or conduct an inquiry, the spokesman explained.

During the meeting, it was said that if administrative powers of the Federal Government are transferred to the Provincial Government, then it would produce positive results, it said.

The spokesman deplored that the Federal Interior Minister did not announce the decisions taken at the meeting. Instead he publicized his personal views in his news conference which can create misunderstanding. Thus it was necessary to explain and clarify the situation in the present circumstances, the spokesman concluded.