Manan Mandokhail:
The Balochistan Assembly on Thursday demanded of the federal government to commence work on the dualization of Quetta Karachi, Zhob, and Chaman highways. The house adopted a unanimous resolution tabled by a member provincial assembly, Nasrullah Khan Zarai. The chair put the resolution for voting, which was unanimously adopted by the house after the debate.
Speaking on the feasibility of the resolution, Mr. Zarai said the federal government has approved the dualization of highways and tenders have also been issued in this regard. However, work has not been started on the dualization of the highways linking Balochistan with Sindh.
“Quetta Karachi highway has claimed thousands of precious human lives”, Akhtar Hussain Langove, a member of the Balochistan National Party (BNP) lamented. Mr. Langove stated that the narrow and poor conditions of roads in Balochistan have claimed precious human lives.
Accidents were order of the day in Balochistan
Members from opposition and treasury benches said road accidents were the order of the day on Quetta Karachi highway and other highways linking Balochistan with Sindh, Punjab, and Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa. “Federal government should immediately launch construction work on Quetta Karachi highway”, Nasrullah Zarai stated.
He said the national highway authority (NHA) should focus on Balochistan and expedite work on the dualization of the highways in the province. The house put the resolution for voting and all treasury and opposition lawmakers unanimously adopted the resolution and urged the federal government to translate its words into action.
Asad Baloch stages a walkout from the house
Balochistan Agriculture Minister, Asad Baloch lashed out at the federal government for what he claimed was its failure to address the grievances of the people of the province. He said the province covers half of the country but is ignored by all successive governments.
Mr. Baloch also staged a walkout from the Balochistan Assembly as a protest against the federal government for its what he called stepmotherly treatment towards Balochistan.
