Balochistan PA passes three resolutions

QUETTA: The Balochistan Assembly on Monday passed three significant resolutions addressing land ownership rights for residents of Dera Murad Jamali and Dera Allah Yar, the issuance of lifetime blue passports for assembly members and their families, and the establishment of a sub-campus of Sardar Bahadur Khan Women’s University (SBK) in Jaffarabad.

Provincial Minister Mir Sadiq Umrani of the Pakistan People’s Party presented a resolution to grant land ownership rights to long-term residents of Dera Murad Jamali and Dera Allah Yar. Despite residing on the land for decades, these residents have not yet been granted legal ownership, leading to significant challenges. Umrani reminded the assembly that a similar resolution had been passed on February 3, 2009, but no progress had been made in the last 15 years. He called for immediate steps to address this issue and ensure residents receive their rightful land titles, which would alleviate their sense of deprivation. In response, Revenue Minister Mir Asim Kurd assured the assembly that the issue would be resolved within days.

Hadiya Nawaz, Parliamentary Secretary of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN), presented a resolution seeking lifetime blue (official) passports for members of the Balochistan Assembly and their families. Currently, assembly members are issued official passports only for the duration of their term, and their families are not entitled to this facility, making international travel challenging. Nawaz pointed out that members of the Senate and National Assembly, along with their families, are granted lifetime blue passports. She urged the provincial government to coordinate with the federal government to amend the passport manual, ensuring lifetime official passports for both members and their families. Provincial Minister for Education Raheela Hameed Durrani supported the resolution, and it was unanimously passed by the assembly.

Abdul Majeed Badini, MPA of Jamaat-e-Islami, presented a resolution to establish a sub-campus of SBK Women’s University in Jaffarabad. He emphasised the crucial role SBK plays in promoting women’s education in Balochistan. However, Jaffarabad’s considerable distance from Quetta poses logistic and financial challenges for many students.

Currently, 300 female students from Jaffarabad are enrolled at SBK in Quetta, highlighting the high demand for higher education in the region. Establishing a sub-campus in Jaffarabad would improve access to quality education for local women, encouraging more young women to pursue their educational goals. The resolution was also passed unanimously.