The Baloch Hal | Oct. 15, 2010 | Original story

The Baloch Hal

QUETTA: A minister in Balochistan Assembly (BA) pointed out on Thursday that security forces had unleashed a new phase of operation in Mekran Division, arresting several political workers and whisking away some others to unknown locations.

Provincial minister for Social Welfare, Mir Asghar Rind, complained on the floor of the Balochistan Assembly on a point of order about the search operation in Mekran charging the security forces of initiating military action during which many people have been whisked away or gone missing.

When Speaker Mohammad Aslam Bhoothani did not allow him continue his speech, Rind joined another provincial minister Mir Asad Balcoh to stage a walk out in protest against the Speaker. Adviser to Chief Minister Dr Fauzia Nazir Marri, who is also a member of BNP-Awami, also joined the protest.

Addressing a news conference, Asad Baloch said that the security forces even did not take the Chief Minister of the province on board before carrying out a massive search operation.

"They (the forces) are violating the sanctity of homes and insulting the people during the home-to-home search. The gunship helicopters also shelled in mountainous areas of Mashkay," said Asad Baloch adding, "The action is being carried out on the direction of Interior Minister who had already threatened us in his last visit to Quetta that Islamabad would use brute force in Balochistan under the excuse of maintaining peace in the province."

He said that Chief Minister had also complained that Islamabad was not paying ample attention towards the problems of Balochistan.

"I wonder if the Chief Minister is not being heard in Islamabad then where the ministers should go to register their complaint against the security forces?" asked the minister helplessly.

He asked the Federal Government to stop the operation immediately and advised that such action must be taken under a legal framework.

"The latest operation is a violation of the country's constitution and it will have long-term negative impact on the province-Center relations," he added.