Clashes outside Pak’s Balochistan Assembly as opposition lawmakers protest over unfair distribution of funds

Quetta [Pakistan], June 19 (ANI): Clashes erupted between Opposition lawmakers and supporters with police at the Balochistan Assembly when police arrived at the assembly to open gates that were locked by Opposition parties during the budget session.

Heated words between police personnel and Opposition lawmakers were exchanged, which caused the situation to turn tense, The News International.

Amid massive demonstrations by opposition lawmakers and their supporters, the budget session in Pakistan’s Balochistan Assembly started on Friday a few hours later than the scheduled time.

Protesting over the issue of unfair distribution of funds, opposition lawmakers had blocked access to the provincial assembly premises to prevent the presentation of the provincial budget for the new fiscal year, Dawn newspaper reported.

The session could not commence for two hours as opposition members locked up the assembly gates and prevented administrative officials from opening the gates. Moreover, the opposition members and their supporters also clashed with police personnel.

This comes as the opposition lawmakers from the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam, Balochistan National Party-Mengal, and Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami party have been protesting for several days against the neglect of their constituencies in the budget.

On Thursday, opposition parties had blocked national highways passing through many cities and towns of Balochistan.

According to the Pakistani daily, the protesters had chanted slogans against the provincial government and alleged that non-elected politicians were being granted funds and members of the provincial assembly from the opposition were being ignored just because they did not belong to the ruling party. (ANI)