QUETTA - Condemning the Hazara Town bombing that killed over 89 people, members of the Balochistan Assembly stated on Wednesday they would have been scathingly criticised if the terrorist attack had taken place under their rule.
Regretting the fact that innocent people were being killed despite the imposition of Governor’s Rule in Balochistan, the legislators were dismayed to add that Nawab Aslam Raisani-led government had been sacked on the direction of a single corrupt bureaucrat, which, according to them, was deplorable.  The denunciation by the parliamentarians came during the debate on a condemnation resolution against Saturday’s Quetta carnage when the House met with Speaker Syed Matiullah Agha in the chair.  Former minister and JUI-F leader Maulana Abdul Wasay, Engineer Zamarak Khan of ANP, Syed Ahsan Shah of BNP-Awami and others flayed the deadly bombing, saying external elements were active in Balochistan. It was a big tragedy indeed, they said as they called for bringing those responsible to the book.  The House adopted the condemnation resolution unanimously; however the lawmakers continued criticising the imposition of Governor’s Rule until the end of the sitting.
Coming down hard on Zulfiqar Ali Magsi, JUI-F’s Wasay questioned why was the governor issuing statements against security agencies when he had been unaware of the law and order situation in the province. He said it was being done under a pre-meditated international plan.
Wasay deplored that although political and religious parties had rendered sacrifices for the sake of democracy and led a movement, they were being portrayed as criminals. He said his party, the JUI-F, was also sad over the incident, but raids on religious seminaries or linking terrorists to them was absolutely wrong. “There is no single terrorist in any seminary,” he went on to say.
During the proceedings, legislators also expressed their reservations on giving the control of Gwadar Port to China, and stressed they would agree to the bilateral arrangement only if given equal status. The people of Balochistan were not helpless; they would raise their voice for their legitimate rights, they added.
Former minister and PPP Deputy Parliamentary leader Ali Madad Jattak strongly opposed his arrest-cum-release at the hand of Frontier Corps, and said the harassment of elected representatives of the people was not a good move.
He said when the Governor’s Rule was imposed in Balochistan a raid was conducted on his residence and now when the Governor Rule was being lifted the same tactic was being used.
Earlier, the House offered fateha for the victims of the suicide bomb blast in Hazara Town.