QUETTA - The Balochistan Cabinet’s first meeting that continued for seven hours discussed several issues including convening an All Parties Conference on law and order in December and reorganising the security forces.
Chief Minister Dr Abdul Maalik Baloch presided over the meeting. Speaking on the occasion, he said the current government is facing a bunch of challenges, so the cabinet members have to work on war footings to get best out of the provincial and federal development budgets. He said that the coalition governments always face troubles, but instead of getting confused in the issues, the cabinet members have to exhibit high amount of discipline and commitment.
He said that all the issues henceforth would be sorted out through consensus of the parliamentary parties and good governance would be preferred instead of mere transfer and postings. He said that government has to make efforts for the improvement of law and order round the clock.
The cabinet members expressed their concern over the extraction of mineral wealth of the province, including gas and oil, saying that the province has 50 per cent share in all such projects, following the 18th Amendment. The members also unanimously agreed to take up various cases in the Council of Common Interests.
The extraction works are under way in Barkhan and other areas of Balochistan over which the members said that all the oil companies are constitutionally bound to take the Balochistan government into confidence before carrying out any works thereof. They also called upon Oil and Gas Development Authority and PPL to abide by the Constitution in pursuit of any such agreements.
The Cabinet also decided to hold the local bodies’ elections as a sign of respect for the Supreme Court verdict and also upholding the Constitution and laws of the land supreme, ensuring devolution of powers to the lowest level.
Moreover, the cabinet also decided to convene an All Parties Conference on the law and order issue of Balochistan and a four-member committee has been formed under the leadership of CM Dr Maalik Baloch to finalise the draft arrangement in this regard.
Certain other decision, including formation of committees under each minister of the concerned departments for improving the Fisheries, Livestock, Mining, Education, Agriculture and Health which would make policies immediately for the improvement of these departments.
A four-member education committee was also formed under the leadership of provincial adviser for Education Raza Muhammad Bareech who would be responsible for presenting suggesting for the improvement of education sector.