QUETTA - The lawmakers unanimously adopted Harassment Bill against Balochistan Women at Workplace 2015 in a session of the provincial assembly.
A report on harassment against women at workplace was tabled in the session of the Balochistan Assembly, here on Saturday. Speaker Rahila Hameed Khan Durrani presided over the assembly session. Chairperson, Standing Committee on Social Welfare, Women Development, Zakat, Ushr and Haj, Minorities and Youth Affairs, Dr Shama Ishaq tabled the report pertaining to the Bill on Harassment against Women at Workplace.
Provincial Minister Abdul Raheem Ziaratwal tabled "Harassment against Balochistan Women at Workplace Bill 2015".
The Speaker put the bill to the house which passed it unanimously.
In another development, the lawmakers in the session of the Balochistan Assembly unanimously passed a resolution demanding swift action and steps to ensure provision of Information Technology in consultation with the provincial government.
Provincial Minister Abdul Raheem Ziaratwal tabled the resolution jointly moved by him and MPAs - Nasrullah Khan Zeeray, Syed Liaquat Agha, Manzoor Ahmed Kakar, Abdul Majeed Khan Achakzai, William Jan Barkat, Ms Spozmai Achakzai, Ms Masooma Hayat and Ms Arifa Siddique.
The resolution reads that the Federal Information Technology Ministry has been assigned the task to provide facilities in backward areas including establishment of telecom projects, installation of broadband services mobile towers, laying optical fiber cables, tele-centres, provision of broadband facility at high schools and colleges, provision of IT facility to help NADRA in issuance of certificates pertaining to birth, death and marriage, verification of mobile phone sim and installation of solar energy to run Internet service in case of non-availability of electricity.
The resolution said that funds of billions were allocated but only seven percent work of laying down of fiber optical cables in Balochistan has so far been carried out.
It said that mobile towers were being installed in the province without consulting the provincial government.
The resolution recommends the provincial government to approach the federal government to make Federal Information Technology Ministry bound to consult with the provincial government while executing its projects in Balochistan besides provision of required facilities in the province.
The chair put the resolution to the house which passed it unanimously. Later, the session of the Balochistan Assembly was prorogued, said a handout issued by the Provincial Assembly Secretariat.
It said that in exercise of the powers conferred on Governor Balochistan by Article 109 (b) of the Constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan, 1973, Governor Balochistan, Muhammad Khan Achakzai, hereby ordered that on conclusion of the Business, the session of the Provincial Assembly of Balochistan shall stand prorogued on Saturday, the 16th January, 2016.
EIGHT SUSPECTED TERRORISTS ARRESTED IN ZHOB: INP adds: The Frontier Corps (FC) arrested eight suspected terrorists along with weapons here on Saturday.
An FC spokesman said the paramilitary troops responding to an intelligence tip-off regarding presence of anti-state elements conducted operation in Murga Kibzai area of Zhob.
During crackdown eight suspected terrorists were apprehended with heavy automated weapons, the spokesman added. The detained terrorists were shifted to an undisclosed location for interrogation.
Meanwhile, the Frontier Corps (FC) personnel arrested 85 illegal Afghan immigrants along with their travel agent as they were trying to enter Iran on Saturday.
A spokesman of the FC said that responding to a tip-off regarding illegal border crossing, the paramilitary force conducted operation at Pak-Afghan border in Rahtak area of Taftan in district Chaman.
During the operation, the FC personnel arrested 85 illegal Afghan immigrants and the travel agent while they were en route to Europe through Iran.
The detainees were handed over to Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) for further interrogation.