QUETTA, Aug 25: Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Mohammad Yousuf has suspended an order of a senior member of the Board of Revenue that if a person’s land exceeded 32 acres in Gwadar it will be declared state land.

Speaking on an adjournment motion moved by opposition members Mohammad Akbar Mengal and Akhtar Hussain Lango in the Balochistan Assembly on Friday, the chief minister said he had issued a show-cause notice to the member.

Deputy speaker Mohammad Aslam Bhootani presided over the session.

Mr Yousuf said nobody had the right to declare people‘s private lands as state land. “All people having private lands will remain owners of their land in Gwadar and other areas,” he assured the assembly.

He said transfer orders of the BoR member had also been issued.

Movers of the motion had demanded that the BoR order should be declared illegal because it was against basic rights of the people.

After the assurance of the chief minister, the movers did not press the motion and the chair disposed it.

However, Akhtar Hussain Lango walked out of the session when the deputy speaker did not allow him to speak on the motion.

The house admitted for debate another adjournment motion, moved by opposition member Abdul Rahim Ziaratwal and three other members of the PMAP, regarding unhygienic conditions and environment problems in Quetta.

Jam Yousuf supported the motion and asked departments and authorities concerned to take steps to solve the problems.

Earlier, Provincial Minister for Local Government Hafiz Hussain Ahmad Shoradi, who belongs to the MMA, boycotted the session saying he would not attend the proceedings till he was allotted a seat on the opposition benches.

As the session began, the minister, in protest against not giving him powers of transfer and posting of the Tehsil Municipal Officer, submitted an application to the speaker to allot him a seat on the opposition benches.

Deputy speaker Bhootani told him that a decision on his application would be taken by the speaker who was outside Quetta. However, the minister said he would not attend the proceedings till he was allotted a seat on the opposition benches.