Governor rule to be imposed in Balochistan

QUETTA: Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf has announced imposition of governor rule in Balochistan under article 234 of the constitution, DawnNews reported.

Addressing protesters at Alamdar Road, the prime minister said the governor would be the chief executive of the province from today.

Chief Minister Nawab Aslam Raisani’s government has been dismissed.

Governor Balochistan Nawab Zulfiqar Magsi accompanied the prime minister during negotiations with members of the Solidarity Council.

The prime minister said frontier corps has been given policing powers to maintain law and order situation in the province.

He assured that targeted operation would be conducted in Quetta and other parts of Balochistan to ensure security of people.

Raja Pervez Ashraf said Corps Commander would monitor the performance of frontier corps in maintaining law and order situation in the province.

He requested the protesters to bury the 86 dead bodies. However, Qayum Changezi the leader of Solidarity Council refused to bury the dead bodies.

“Until notification of governor rule is issued our protest would continue”, Changezi told the prime minister.

The prime minister assured the members of Solidarity Council that the governor has the power to call armed forces in aid of civil forces.

He said before imposition of Governor Rule, he had taken leaders of mainstream political parties into confidence.

“We want to defeat mindset of terrorism”, the prime minister assured.

The prime minister had spoken with President Asif Ali Zardari on the telephone over the issue. The president gave his approval after consulting with constitutional and legal experts.

Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf had also taken other coalition partners into consideration over the issue.

MQM chief Altaf Hussain, ANP chief Asfandyar Wali and PML-Q leader Chaudhary Shujaat Hussain had all urged Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf to impose governor rule in Balochistan.