QUETTA: The opposition and treasury benches in the Balochistan Assembly have expressed serious concern over the prevailing law and order situation in the province, terming it alarming and calling for an in-camera session and a joint strategy to tackle terrorism, extremism and unrest facing the province.

During the assembly session, presided over by Speaker Abdul Khaliq Achakzai, Awami National Party’s Zamarak Khan Achakzai moved a resolution calling for definite action to meet the challenges of terrorism, extremism and unrest and to expose terrorist elements and their facilitators.

Leader of the Opposition Mir Younis Zehri, initiating the debate on the resolution, said that evacuating Mastung and eliminating orchards in Khadkocha would not bring an end to terrorism. He urged the authorities to take action against terrorists wherever they were present and avoid harassing ordinary citizens. He also demanded an in-camera session of the assembly to discuss the law and order situation.

Opposition, treasury benches express concern over security situation in the province

Maulana Hidayat-ur-Rehman of Jamaat-i-Islami said the people of Balochistan were demanding the right to live, which was more important than electricity, gas and water, as young people were losing their lives in the province every day. He urged the government to bring all political parties together and formulate a joint strategy to address the law and order crisis.

MPAs Khair Jan Baloch, Zabid Reki, Fazal Qadir Mandokhail and Syed Zafar Agha also expressed concern over the security situation and called for an in-camera session and a fact-based debate in the house to formulate a way forward.

Zabid Reki said it had become difficult for both government and opposition lawmakers to visit their constituencies. Despite huge resources being spent on maintaining law and order, he said, the situation was not improving.

PPP’s parliamentary leader and minister Sadiq Umrani said the prevailing situation in Balochistan was the result of policies pursued in the past. He also supported holding an in-camera session to discuss the law and order issue.

Education Minister Raheela Durrani said the government was taking serious measures to improve law and order, but all political parties would have to sit together to find solutions to the province’s problems.

Health Minister Bakht Muhammad Kakar said the law and order situation in Balochistan was not a new phenomenon, as the province had witnessed major incidents of terrorism in the past as well. He rejected the notion of directly linking terrorism with unemployment.

Members also offered Fateha for the departed soul of the speaker’s young son, children killed at Pims hospital in Islamabad.

Published in Dawn, September 2nd, 2026