Balochistan MPA Handery Masieh killed in Quetta

QUETTA: Balochistan MPA, Handery Masieh has been killed in an attack on his life here on Saturday.

Masieh’s family said he was attacked by his personal guard. Speaking to media, Masieh’s brother said he was gunned down by his guard outside their residence.

Hospital sources said the MPA was shot in the head and neck. A spokesman for the Balochistan government confirmed that Masieh had been killed by his guard.

Police said Handery Masieh and his nephew were attacked outside his residence. Police have cordoned off the area and started a search operation for the attacker.

The MPA was rushed to a local hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has directed the Balochistan government to take immediate action against Handery Masieh’s attackers. He added that the protection of minorities was the responsibility of the federal and provincial governments.

Masieh who was affiliated with the National Party was elected from NM-65 on a reserved seat for minorities.

This is a developing story and further details are awaited.

No more excesses with Balochistan now: PM

 

DERA MURAD JAMALI: Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif on Friday said that the Balochistan people faced huge excesses in the past but it would not happen now.
He termed democracy a self-regulated system of accountability and said the democratic norms were flourishing in the country. He said the government wanted to ensure economic and political independence of the people and vowed to eliminate unemployment, inflation, illiteracy and sense of insecurity from the country. “Pakistan free from these evils is our goal,” the PM said.

Addressing a gathering at the inauguration of the 404MW Uchh-II Power Plant at Dera Murad Jamali here, the prime minister said Balochistan was neglected in the past but the democratic government would take necessary steps to mitigate the sense of deprivation among the people of the province. He said his government had planned a big development programme for Balochistan and its people.

Nawaz Sharif said the shortage of electricity in the country would be overcome in three years. “The days of darkness are numbered and the future of Pakistan is bright,” he said.The prime minister said the Uchh-II Power Plant at Dera Murad Jamali would contribute an aggregate of 990MW gross electricity to the national grid.

The Uchh-II Power Plant, the Independent Power Producer (IPP), has been constructed by GDF SUEZ, a French company presently working in 70 countries.Nawaz Sharif announced that the government would ensure provision of natural gas to each and every city of Balochistan within three years.

He directed Minister of Petroleum and Natural Resources Shahid Khaqan Abbasi to personally monitor this project and ensure its completion on time. He announced installation of two separate power lines from the Uchh-II Power Plant to Naseerabad and Sibi divisions of Balochistan.

The prime minister said the power project was significant mainly for two reasons. First, it would be based on indigenousgas by substituting expensive liquid fuel thus saving foreign exchange and second it had been set up in Balochistan.

He commended the contribution of GDF Suez for successful commissioning of the project which, he said, was a valuable addition to the national grid. He invited the French company to undertake more investment in Pakistan’s energy projects.

Nawaz Sharif said that electricity shortfall in the system had a very negative impact on the development of the country. He said new power projects were being constructed using conventional and renewable energy resources and technologies.

He mentioned that the government’s steps in this regard included clearing of Rs500 billion of circular debt and initiating the work on the Neelum-Jhelum Project, Nandi Pur Project and Guddu Power Project that would add 959MW, 425MW and 747MW to the national grid respectively.

Besides the development of Thar Coal Project, Jhimpir Project in Sindh and solar projects in the Punjab would also be prominent steps to overcome the power shortages, he said. The prime minister lauded the services of Private Power and Infrastructure Board (PPIB) that under the supervision of minister for water and power was facilitating the investors through one window system.

Speaking on the occasion, Balochistan Chief Minister Dr Abdul Malik Baloch said the project would contribute to overcoming the energy shortage and invite further foreign investment in Balochistan. He said the project would not only help in curtailing the present power shortages but also provide cheap electricity to consumers and save precious foreign exchange in oil imports.Information Minister Pervaiz Rashid, Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Minister of State Abid Sher Ali were also present.

Balochistan CM enquires Mir’s health in hospital

KARACHI: Balochistan Chief Minister Dr Abdul Malik visited the hospital in Karachi, where Hamid Mir is under treatment, and enquired about the health of injured Geo News anchorperson.

Talking to media on the occasion, the Balochistan chief minister said that Hamid Mir is a voice of Baloch people and he (Mir) is their ‘natural companion’.

He further said that Baloch people would not leave Mir alone during his hard time.

Dr Malik also offered that Balochistan government could bear the expenses of Hamid Mir’s medical treatment if the family members of the renowned journalist and Geo News management granted permission.

PM, Akhtar Mengal discuss Balochistan

ISLAMABAD: Former Chief Minister, Balochistan, Sardar Akhtar Mengal had a detailed meeting with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif here at the PM House Thursday and discussed with him problems concerning the province.

Officially no word has been given about the meeting but Sardar Akhtar told ‘The News’ in a brief chat later that it was a meeting after a fairly long gap between them and he briefed the prime minister on situation prevailing in Balochistan.

He said that no improvement had taken place in Balochistan in recent months and years rather things were getting worse in the province.To a query, Mengal said that he found Nawaz Sharif sincere with the cause of democratic forces but unfortunately he didn’t possess the authority to alter the situation prevalent in the province.

He referred to the question of missing persons and said if the premier could lend help in this matter, it would demonstrate his authority.To another question, he said in a lighter tone that he had given the prime minister yet another year to resolve the problems of his province.

“We will see what happens to the demands we have given to the prime minister and we will wait for another year,” he said.

Sardar Mengal who has come to the federal capital after about six month interval had meetings with certain important political personalities during his stay here.When asked about his meeting with the prime minister that if it was disappointing, his reply was, “You cannot say it was remarkable as far as outcomes are concerned.”

He said with another broad laughter that “we all are with hope (Hum sab umeed say hain).” He talked high of Nawaz Sharif and said the prime minister had proved always accommodating and nice in talk but certain forces didn’t let him do what he was authorised for and wished to do.

In the meanwhile, sources in the PM House said that the meeting between the former chief minister Balochistan and Prime Minister Nawaz was held in a pleasant and excellent atmosphere where the two leaders discussed overall problems of the people.

The prime minister has been appreciative throughout of the political sagacity of Sardar Akhtar Mengal.INP adds: Meanwhile, talking to a private news channel, Akhtar Mengal said nothing had changed in Balochistan despite assurances of the government.

He said the matter had surpassed from dead bodies to the mass-graves now. Despite the promises of the government no steps were being taken for restoration of peace in the province, Mengal claimed.“We are democratic people. Don’t close the doors of politics and democratic paths on us,” Mengal emphatically said.

People dying in Balochistan while chief secretary visiting US: SC

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) on Wednesday observed that the Balochistan chief secretary was visiting the US while people in the province were dying.

The apex court gave these remarks when it was informed that the meeting of the chief secretary, the counsel for the FC Irfan Qadir, the Crime Investigation Department (CID) and Balochistan Advocate General Nizamud Din could not be held as the chief secretary had proceeded on a visit to the US.

A two-member bench of the apex court comprising Justice Amir Hani Muslim and Justice Mushir Alam was hearing the cases on the law and order situation in Balochistan, missing persons and the Khuzdar mass grave.

The court asked the Balochistan government what the solution of missing persons issue was and directed the chief secretary to submit a detailed report in this regard in the first week of April.

The court also directed the chief secretary, the counsel for FC Irfan Qadir, the Crime Investigation Department (CID) and Balochistan Advocate General Nizamud Din to hold a meeting and decide how to proceed against the army officers, allegedly involved in the enforced disappearances of the people in Balochistan.

The court also directed the Punjab advocate general to appear on the next date of hearing and explain why a long time was required for finalising the DNA report of the bodies found from a mass grave in the Khuzdar district.

During the proceedings, the Balochistan Home Secretary, Asad Gilani, informed the court that 14 samples had been taken and now they had to be matched and it would take at least four to five months.

It means that the bodies would not be buried till the DNA report, Justice Amir Hani Muslim observed.The home secretary, however, replied that two persons had been identified and other bodies would be handed over after their identification.

The advocate general said that the samples had been sent to the Punjab Forensic Science Agency (PSFA), Lahore, for DNA tests, which had told them that it would take four to five months to finalise the DNA report.

The court asked the Balochistan advocate general as to why the meeting of the provincial chief secretary, advocate general and counsel for the FC Irfan Qadir was not held.The Balochistan AG said that March 24 was fixed for the meeting but the prime minister called the chief secretary to Islamabad.

Justice Hani said that the meeting could have been held on the next day. However, the advocate general said after that, the secretary had flown to the US and was still in America.The court observed that on March 7, it directed the chief secretary, advocate general and FC counsel Irfan Qadir to hold a meeting on the missing persons’ issue.

Irfan Qadir, however, informed the court that he had talked to the chief secretary on phone. The court observed as to how the meeting could be held on phone.Meanwhile, the court directed the Balochistan chief secretary to hold a meeting on his return from the US and adjourned the hearing for two weeks.

Interest-based business punishable in Balochistan

 

QUETTA: The Balochistan cabinet on Monday declared conducting interest-based business in the province as a punishable offence.
The provincial cabinet, which met with Chief Minister Dr Abdul Malik Baloch in the chair, also clamped a complete ban on the transportation of fuel and other inflammable substances via public transport in the wake of Saturday’s tragic accident in Hub in which dozens of people perished. It directed the police and Levies force to ensure implementation of the ban.

The chief minister observed that the death of dozens of people in Hub was a tragedy, adding that the transportation of fuel in the passenger bus caused the massive fire. He underlined the need to stop the recurrence of such incidents in the future.

Dr Malik announced that his government would not allow transportation of petrol, diesel, gas and other inflammable substances through passenger buses. The provincial cabinet also prayed for the departed souls.

The cabinet decided to fill the vacant posts in districts of the province and directed the Balochistan Services and General Administration Department to approach the Federal Establishment Division for lifting the ban on government jobs in the federal departments, semi-government and autonomous bodies.

Dr Malik Baloch vowed to come up to the expectations of the masses and said appointments on the vacant posts on district level would be made on the basis of merit.The cabinet also reviewed the pace of work on the development projects and directed to gear up the pace of work on them.

WFP, Balochistan to assist over 100,000 malnourished children, women

ISLAMABAD: The World Food Programme (WFP) and Balochistan government jointly launched a project to assist around 108,271 malnourished children, pregnant and lactating women suffering to prevent stunting and micronutrient deficiencies.

The project would be implemented with collaboration of Balochistan Department of Health from 2013 to 2015 in nine districts of Balochistan including Zhob, Musakhel, Lora Lai, Qilla Saifullah, Pishin, Nushki, Kharan, Washuk, Chagai by providing them food supplements through Lady Health Workers (LHWs).

It would also prevent their intergenerational transmission using locally produced specialized nutritious products and promoting appropriate infant and young child feeding practices utilising effective behaviour change communication strategies.

Balochistan is the second most affected province, where only 36.5 percent of the population were food secure. About 33.9 percent people were food insecure without hunger, Nicole Carn, World Food Programme (WFP) Chief in Balochistan told APP. In response to the nutrition situation in Balochistan, WFP has been assisting the Health Department of Balochistan to address the issue of malnutrition through Community Based Management of Acute Malnutrition (CMAM), she added.

This will also contribute to reducing the incidence of low birth weight as maternal nutritional status of pregnant and lactating women will be improved. Out of 32 districts in Balochistan, there are nine districts where Balochistan Nutrition Cell, along with WFP was working to address the issue of malnutrition.