Balochistan Assembly voices alarm over terrorist attacks

QUETTA: The opposition and treasury benches in the Balochistan Assembly have expressed serious concern over terrorist attacks in Zhob, Danasar, Harnai and Sharag, and urged the government and authorities concerned to take strict measures to prevent such incidents in future.

A session of the house, presided over by Speaker Mir Jan Muhammad Khan Jamali, on Monday approved an adjournment motion of PkMAP MPA Nasarullah Zerey regarding the terrorist attacks in Sharag, Khost and Zardalo of Harnai district, and recent armed attacks at the checkpoints of Levies, police, and FC in Danasar area of Sherani district.

Speaking on the adjournment motion, he expressed serious concern over the armed attacks in different areas of Harnai, Sherani and Zhob. He said that armed men intercepted 21 coal-loaded trucks and set them on fire after firing at them. He said that the armed groups also kidnapped three people after burning those trucks, which were carrying coal to Punjab and other areas from the coal field area of Sharag and Harnai.

ANP parliamentary leader Mohammad Asghar Achakzai said that the terrorist attack in District Harnai is very serious where truck owners and transporters were protesting over these incidents.

Strict action urged to ensure peace and harmony in province

He said that many rounds of negotiations were held with the protesting truck owners, but they remained fruitless, and with the passage of time, the situation was becoming more serious.

He also talked about the recent Sherani and Zhob terrorist incidents and said that it is necessary to take immediate steps to prevent such incidents.

Other members also spoke after which the house adopted the adjournment motion for general debate on the law and order situation in parts of northern Balochistan.

Parliamentary leader of the opposition, BNP-Mengal,

Malik Naseer Shahwani, while taking the floor, drew the attention of the house towards the situation in Wadh and termed it as very serious, due to the free movement of armed individuals which has created a law and order situation.

He said that he had informed the house about the Wadh situation in the last assembly session, and since then, no improvement has been witnessed in resolving the issue. He added that he had suggested the chair to form a committee to address the Wadh issue.

He said that a government delegation headed by Home Minister Zia Langove visited Wadh and had a meeting with Sardar Akhtar Mengal.

On the other hand, despite the passage of over a month, nothing has changed, and the law and order situation is deteriorating, he added.

“Armed people are still sitting in the trenches, which is causing the situation to worsen,” Mr Shahwani said, adding that the situation was deliberately worsening by certain elements.

Wadh issue is not a tribal conflict, he said, adding that by creating this situation, they want to punish Sardar Akhtar Mengal for his national struggle.

He said that the government delegation, when visiting Wadh, asked Mr Mengal’s people to vacate the area but did not ask the other side to do the same.

He suggested to the speaker to form an empowered commission to bring peace in Wadh and resolve the issue politically.He also said that past experiments should not be repeated as they will create more difficulties.

Published in Dawn, July 18th, 2023