Balochistan Assembly passed the budget on Friday for the financial year 2021-2022, in absence of the opposition members. The coalition partners unanimously adopted the budget with no-cut motions from the house.
Session of Balochistan Assembly resumed here with Speaker Qudoos Bizenjo in the chair. Chief Minister Balochistan, Jam Kamal Khan, and parliamentary leaders of the ruling coalition also participated in the session.
The House passed the budget with a total outlay of Rs.584 billion as opposition members kept continued their protest inside the police station for a fifth consecutive day.
On the occasion, Provincial Finance Minister Mir Zahoor Buledi presented 102 development and non-development demands and got them approved without any amendment. The house approved all demands regarding the non-development expenditures and the Public Sector Development Program (PSDP).
The opposition legislators and supporters staged a protest demonstration against the provincial government at Manan Chowk. The workers of the component parties of the opposition criticised the government and chanted slogans.
“Our protest will continue”, Malik Sikandar Khan Advocate, the Opposition leader in Balochistan Assembly said. Opposition members had offered voluntary arrests at Bijli road police station five days back. The opposition lawmakers offered voluntary arrests after their nomination in a First Information Report (FIR) by the government.
The deadlock between the opposition and government still exists, despite various rounds of talks. Home Minister Balochistan, Mir Ziaullah Langove, and other high-ups held repeated negotiations with the opposition to participate in the budget session. However, the opposition turned down the request of government ministers. “Formally arrest us or register our FIR”, Akhtar Hussain Langove, member of the Balochistan National Party (Mengal) said.
It is to mention that Personal attacks, insults and violence marred the budget session in Balochistan Assembly on 18 June. Police lodged a First Information Report (FIR) against 17 opposition members of the Balochistan Assembly for “subjecting policemen and treasury members to violence.”
In response to that, over 17 members from the opposition benches walked from Balochistan Assembly to the police station to offer arrests. It’s the fourth day, opposition members remained inside the Bijli road police station in their protest against the Balochistan government. “Withdraw your FIR or register ours”, Malik Sikandar Advocate, the Opposition leader in Balochistan Assembly said.