The Balochistan Assembly session Friday, chaired by Speaker Abdul Khaliq Achakzai, began 40 minutes late but saw an eventful day of proceedings, including attention notices, question time, and non-official business.
During the session, the House disposed of attention notices submitted by Maulana Hidayat-ur-Rehman and Zafarullah O. Members also elected Wali Muhammad Noorzai, Muhammad Khan Lehri, and Safia Bibi to the vacant posts of the Public Accounts Committee. Additionally, Ali Madad Jatak was elected to the Standing Committee for the Department of Home and Tribal Affairs, Prisons, and the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA).
One of the key matters addressed was a resolution regarding the Balochistan Public Service Commission (BPSC). Opposition Leader Younis Aziz Zehri, along with other members, jointly presented the resolution highlighting that students of Balochistan face disadvantages compared to their peers in other provinces due to limited resources and socioeconomic challenges. Currently, students are allowed only three attempts to pass PCS and other competitive examinations.
The resolution noted that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has already increased the number of attempts from three to five, urging Balochistan to follow suit to ensure equal opportunities. It emphasised that increasing the number of attempts to five would encourage talent retention, provide a level playing field, and help reduce unemployment in the province. The House subsequently passed the resolution with consensus.
Another highly charged moment came when Maulana Hidayat-ur-Rehman presented a resolution calling for strict measures to safeguard Pakistan from what he termed the “sedition of Qadianis.” The resolution recalled the historic declaration of September 7, 1974, when the National Assembly of Pakistan declared Qadianis as non-Muslims after a nationwide movement led by prominent scholars.
The resolution paid tribute to then-Prime Minister Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and parliamentarians of that time for their role in the matter. It further demanded that the federal government take strict measures to counter the Qadiani community, reaffirming that the Assembly “will not hesitate to make any sacrifice to protect the belief of Khatm-e-Nabuwwat.”
Supporting the resolution, Raheela Durrani stated that Qadianism was a sedition that must be eradicated, warning that the younger generation was being misled and urging serious attention to the issue. She stressed that there could be no compromise on the sanctity of the Holy Prophet (PBUH).
Both resolutions were adopted by the House, with members declaring their collective determination on the issues.
The session was later adjourned until September 8.