QUETTA: Balochistan Chief Minister Dr Abdul Malik Baloch has announced a grant of Rs50 million for people displaced from North Waziristan.

Speaking during a session of Balochistan Assembly on Saturday, the chief minister said there was no ban on the entry of internally displaced persons (IDPs) into the province, but they had to undergo security search.

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Members of the assembly announced that they would donate one month’s salary for the welfare of IDPs.

The session was presided over by Speaker Mir Jan Mohammad Jamali.

Dr Baloch says he himself selected Arsalan Iftikhar for the Balochistan Investment Board post

Dr Baloch said his government and the people of Balochistan would welcome the people displaced by the military operation in North Waziristan Agency.

Responding to objections raised by some legislators over the nomination of son of former chief justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry as vice-chairman of the Balochistan Investment Board, the chief minister said he himself had selected Arsalan Iftikhar for the post because the latter hailed from Balochistan.

If any legislator or leader of a coalition party had issues over the appointment, the government was ready to resolve them through discussions, he added.

Opposition member Sardar Abdur Rehman Khetran had objected to the appointment and said Arsalan was involved in corruption.

The house approved the names of lawmakers for the formation of standing committees. Chairpersons of the committees would be selected later.

Speaking on points of order, members of the house congratulated the chief minister and speaker for finalising the names of members of the standing committees. They said the move would strengthen democratic norms and help improve the performance of the house.

Minister for Services and General Administration Nawab Mohammad Khan Shahwani tabled the Balochistan Judicial Academy (Amendment) Bill, 2014 and bills for salary, allowances and privileges of chief minister, ministers, speaker, deputy speaker and members of the house.

Published in Dawn, June 29th, 2014