Opposition walks out over ignoring Balochistan in government jobs

Agitating over ignoring Balochistan in government jobs and developmental projects, combined opposition on Wednesday staged a walkout from the Senate.
Surprisingly, the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal, which supported the coalition government in the passage of 17th Amendment bill, also joined the opposition walkout during the question hour.
It all started when BNP (Mengal) Senator Sanaullah Baloch and Mouhim Khan Baloch of BNP (Awami) protested over nil representation of Balochistan in the Ministry of Communications.
They strongly objected to the Communications Minister Ahmed Ali's answer that the ministry strictly followed the laid down appointment procedure.
Before walking out of the House, the opposition senators, backed by some treasury members, mostly from Balochistan created pandemonium. The noise was such that whatever they said was inaudible.
The answer given in reply to a question by MQM Senator Babar Khan Ghauri, who was not present in the House, showed that from Additional Secretary to the PS to Director General in the ministry, there was no one from Balochistan.
The Balochistan senators questioned, were the people of the province not citizens of Pakistan. Were they not capable enough to be given jobs in the ministry?
It might be recalled that the Balochistan senators had also staged a walkout during the previous session on similar grounds.
Justice Abdul Razzaq Taheem (Retd) from the treasury side complained about ignoring urban Sindh in the ministry, adding such lapses fan (sense of) deprivation among the smaller provinces.
Another senator from ruling PML Kamil Ali Agha said, "such jokes must end now."
The unanimous demand by the treasury and opposition senators was that all the federating units should be treated in a way to strengthen the Federation.
However, Balochistan senators insisted that they should be given an assurance that 3.5 percent quota in the government jobs would be given to the province. The Minister invited the senators to his chamber and assured to resolve their issues.
Earlier, they complained about 'ignoring' Balochistan in developmental projects. However, the communications minister did not agree to their observations and said that for the first time Rs 7.5 billion were allocated in 2003-2004, for construction of roads in the said province.