ISLAMABAD, Oct 19: The special National Assembly’s committee on Karachi-Balochistan law and order had to postpone its scheduled visit to Quetta for next week on the request of Balochistan government.

The committee which was assigned with the task of holding hearings in Karachi and Quetta to assess the law and order situation had finalized its programme when the Balochistan government sent a request to postpone its visit as the concerned security and administration officials were either out of country or not available in the provincial metropolis.

A member of the committee told Dawn that the 17-member committee will now embark on its visit next week and date for departure will be announced later.

Headed by the PPP’s Syed Khursheed Shah had announced in its last week’s meeting that it would hold meetings with everyone including the estranged Baloch leaders who were not ready to talk to the government officials.

He told reporters that the committee would welcome Nawab Khair Bakhsh Marree, Ataullah Mengal and even those self-exiled leaders living abroad and playing role in spreading disturbance in the province.

It seemed that Balochistan government was not prepared to arrange meetings with the antagonist Baloch leaders and wanted more time for doing their homework before welcoming the committee members, sources told Dawn.