QUETTA: Members of opposition in the Balochistan Assembly staged a walkout on Monday after accusing the government of planning to rig by-election in the NA-262 Chaman-Qila Abdullah constituency scheduled for Thursday.
The treasury benches rejected the allegation.
Speaking on a point of order, Leader of Opposition Maulana Abdul Wasay said government officials from Quetta had been sent to Qila Abdullah for election duty. Qila Abdullah was a sensitive area and the government’s interference would disturb peace there, he warned.
“Our voters in Toba Kakari and Chaman will be unsafe because of this move. If the government wants to hold peaceful by-polls in the area it should stop interfering in the election process,” he said.
Zamarak Khan Achakzai, an opposition member, alleged that the transfer of officials from Quetta was aimed at manipulating the election results in favour of the government candidate and warned that the move would have serious repercussions which would not be in the interest of peace in the area.
Provincial minister Abdur Rahim Ziaratwal rejected the allegation that the government was interfering in the election process and said the opposition members were making hue and cry because they feared defeat in the by-polls.
He assured the house that peaceful elections would be held and voters would be provided full security on the polling day. They will cast their votes without fear and interference by the government.
Lawmakers threatened to join sit-in by farmers if electricity supply was not restored to them in two days. They criticised the Quetta Electric Supply Company (Qesco) for its failure to repair the damaged pylons despite the passage of two weeks.
They said standing crops and orchards had been damaged because of non-supply of power causing to farmers losses running into billions of rupees.
Sardar Mustafa Tareen, Sardar Aslam Bizenjo, Nawab Ayaz Jogezai, Liaquat Agha, Khalid Lango, Rehmat Baloch, Manzoor Kakar, Mufti Gulab, Dastagir Badani, Syed Raza Agha, Reza Mohammad Barach and Mujibur Rehman spoke on the issue.
Jaffar Khan Mandokhel, who presided over the session, directed the Qesco chief to brief the house on Aug 24 on energy crisis.
The house was adjourned till Thursday.