QUETTA, Nov 1: The opposition suffered a serious setback in the Balochistan assembly on Wednesday when the treasury benches, including MMA legislators, rejected a resolution condemning the killing of Nawab Akbar Bugti and military operation and opposed an adjournment motion seeking a debate on the killing of the JWP leader.

However, the Muttahida Majlis Amal succeeded, with the support of the PML and BP-Awami, in getting a resolution condemning the bombing of a seminary in Bajuar passed.

Speaker Jamal Shah Kakar with the consent of members of both sides, admitted an adjournment motion on the financial crisis in the province caused by the new NFC award which was not fair for Balochistan.

The house witnessed pandemonium when resolutions were tabled separately by Jan Mohammad Buledi of the National Party and Syed Mutiullah Agha, Minister for Information, condemning the killing of Nawab Bugti and others in Dera Bugti and Kohlu and the bombing of Bajuar seminary.

Home Minister Mir Shoaib Nausherwani and Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Mir Abdur Rehman Jamali opposed both the resolutions and requested the chair to give his ruling in accordance with the rules of the house.

The speaker reminded Mir Jamali that during the last four years similar resolutions related to killing of citizens had bee tabled.

Jan Buledi asserted that security forces had killed the most respected Baloch leader and hundreds of innocent people in Dera Bugti, Kohlu, Waziristan and Bajuar.

He accused the rulers of trying to appease the United States and the western world by killing citizens in Balochistan, Waziristan and Bajuar. He warned that if extra-constitutional methods were not abandoned, the country would face a serious crisis that would endanger its integrity.

Opposition members staged a walkout when most members of the treasury benches, except two female legislators of the MMA, did not support the resolution. While leaving the house, the protesting members accused the MMA of playing double role, condemning the Bajuar incident, but supporting the military operation against the Baloch people.

The speaker allowed the tabling of the MMA resolution condemning the killing of 82 people in the Bajuar seminary and said that only the ministers of the religious alliance had raised their hands. The PMAP legislator pointed out that if the resolution of the opposition backed by nine members could be rejected how could be the resolution of seven members adopted.

Thereafter the chair for the second time asked the members supporting the resolution to raise their hands and all members of the PML, MMA, BNP-Awami, including Chief Minister Jam Mohammad Yousuf, raised their hands.

Jan Buledi moved two identical adjournment motions that sought a general debate on the killing of Nawab Bugti, the ongoing military operation in Dera Bugti and Kohlu and illegal arrests, alleging that the Baloch were being subjected to oppressions, excesses and injustices.

Speaking on the feasibility of the motions, he stated that whenever the Baloch people raised voice against injustices, their political movements were suppressed by the state apparatus, but the rulers failed to subjugate them owing to the great sacrifices rendered by the Baloch leadership.

The speaker acting on an application of Minister for Local Bodies Hafiz Hussain Ahmed Shurudy allotted a seat to him on opposition benches and asked the chief minister to issue a notification for his removal from ministership enabling him to sit on opposition benches.

The minister, who is affiliated to the MMA, is demanding that the chief minister should either empower him to order transfers and postings of the town municipal officers or let him sit on opposition benches.

The Minister for Revenue, Mir Asim Kurd, tabled the Stamp (Balochistan amendment) Bill 2006 in the house.

The house offered fateha for people killed in the Bajaur seminary and the chief of the Domki tribe, Sardar Chakar Khan Domki.

The session was adjourned till Nov. 4.