QUETTA: The Balochistan Assembly adopted on Tuesday a unanimous resolution urging the Khan of Kalat to return home from abroad and play a role in normalising the situation in the province.

Agha Suleman Dawood Khan went into self-exile in London after the murder of veteran Baloch nationalist leader Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti in 2006.

The resolution, moved by opposition member Sardar Abdur Rehman Khetran of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (JUI-F), stated that Agha Suleman should be approached to end his exile and contribute to mainstream politics.

Mr Khetran regretted that despite the passage of 18 months the coalition government had neither contacted the Khan of Kalat nor other Baloch leaders abroad.

He said a committee of legislators should be formed to contact Agha Suleman and persuade him to return home. This will help improve the situation in Balochistan.

The house witnessed a pandemonium when the JUI-F leader described the law and order situation in the province as bad.

Five members of the treasury bench – Abdur Rahim Ziaratwal, Dr Hamid Khan Achakzai, Syed Liaquat Agha, Rehmat Baloch and Obaidullah Babat – reacted sharply to the remarks and claimed the law and order situation was quite satisfactory as compared to the past.

They said the mover should confine his speech to the contents of the resolution, adding that the previous government was responsible for the bad law and order situation in Balochistan.

The bedlam continued for several minutes as acting Speaker Mir Abdul Quddus Bizenjo was unable to restore order.

This led Chief Minister Dr Abdul Malik Baloch to intervene and request both the treasury and opposition members to respect the decorum of the house.

Backing the resolution, he said it was his government’s desire that Agha Suleman and other Baloch leaders come back and play their role in the development of the province.

Dr Malik said the leaders who attended a recent multi-party conference had also given him the mandate to hold talks with the exiled leaders and “we are making efforts in this regard”.

He said the leadership of National Party and Pakhtun­khwa Milli Awami Party had discussed the matter with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and the federal government’s response was very encouraging.

“The centre wants to resolve the matter amicably.”

Published in Dawn, October 1st , 2014