QUETTA: Opposition lawmakers staged a walkout from the Balochistan Assembly on Thursday in protest against the speaker’s decision to deny them the permission to speak on a point of order to discuss the killing of JUI-F leaders.

Several resolutions moved by opposition members, which were on the agenda for Thursday, couldn’t be presented since the MPAs who moved them had left the session in protest.

Soon after the session started, JUI-F MPAs, including opposition leader Mir Younis Aziz Zehri and Zabid Ali Reki, stood up and protested against the killing of their party’s leaders in the province.

Opposition leader Zehri sought permission from the speaker, Abdul Khaliq Achakzai, to speak on a point of order, emphasising the urgency of their concerns over the killing.

Speaker refuses to allow JUI-F members to speak; CM Bugti defends Fourth Schedule listings

The speaker told the opposition lawmakers that the session would follow established rules and they can speak after the proceedings were complete.

Mr Zehri insisted on speaking on the matter immediately and refused to wait till the end of the proceedings.

The speaker, however, denied the permission to Mr Zehri, after which the opposition leaders walkedout from the session.

Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti suggested sending provincial ministers Mir Sadiq Umrani, Mir Asim Kurd Gello and Noor Muhammad Dummar to persuade the opposition lawmakers to return to the house, but they didn’t return.

The resolutions moved by Mr Reki, Syed Zafar Agha, Shahnaz Umrani and Maulana Hidayatur Rehman could not be presented since they were part of the protesting lawmakers.

Later, Speaker Achakzai adjourned the session indefinitely.

Provincial cabinet meeting

Meanwhile, the provincial cabinet has reached a consensus to finalise the recommendation for the appointment of the vice-chancellor of a government university.

The provincial cabinet decided that interviews would be conducted for appointing the Lasbela University vice-chancellor.

CM defends Fourth Schedule

The chief minister has also defended the decision to put a large number of people’s names in the Fourth Schedule and said the list was a part of the law, and if anyone has objection to it, they should approach the appropriate forum for redressal.

The chief minister was talking to journalists after the session.

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He said the names of the people have been put in the Fourth Schedule in view of the situation in the province.

The provincial government has put the names of several political activists, student leaders, writers, social activists and government employees on the Fourth Schedule under the Anti-Terrorism Act.

The deputy commissioner of Quetta has notified the names of 137 people who have been put on the Fourth Schedule on the recommendations of district intelligence and coordination committees.

However, other districts have not issued any list in this regard so far.

Published in Dawn, September 13th, 2024