Balochistan MPAs call-off sit-in outside police station

QUETTA: The Balochistan opposition MPAs on Sunday have called off their sit-in outside the police station located at Bijli Road, Quetta, after successful talks with the government, ARY News reported.

Zia Langoo, Balochistan home minister led the government delegation for the talks with the opposition members and handed over the notification of withdrawal of the FIR registered against the opposition lawmakers.

Langoo handed over the notification to Balochistan Assembly Opposition Leader Malik Sikandar. Seeing the notification, the MPAs called off their sit-in.

The Balochistan government had registered FIR against 17 MPAs of opposition parties of the Balochistan Assembly for allegedly attacking the assembly and treasury bench lawmakers ahead of the provincial budget on June 18.

On June 18, the legislators belonging to opposition parties held a sit-in outside the Balochistan Assembly‘s building in a bid to stop the provincial finance minister from presenting the budget.

The atmosphere turned tense after the opposition’s lawyers stopped the assistant commissioner from entering the provincial assembly. They started throwing flowerpots and stones at security officials and government lawmakers.

Clashes erupted between the police and the opposition lawmaker when Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Kamal Khan arrived at the assembly. The opposition MPA’s were of the view that they would not let the budget session to be held.

Later, the police registered the FIR against the 17 MPAs, including the opposition leader in the provincial legislature, on charges of attacking the provincial legislature and treasury bench lawmakers.

The opposition legislators offered their arrest to the Bijli Road police but the latter refused to take them into custody without an investigation into the incident and proof of allegations made in the FIR.