QUETTA: Ziaullah Langau, the Balochistan Awami Party’s (BAP) central information secretary and former interior minister, has underscored a critical security gap in the province, stating the urgent need for a full-time interior minister to address worsening law and order.
In a television interview, Langau noted that while the provincial situation has been monitored for 25 years, the past 18 months have seen distinct and faster-moving challenges. He argued that the crucial interior portfolio remains vacant, hampering the effective handling of internal security. “The presence of an interior minister is essential so that public issues and law and order… can be fully addressed,” he stated.
While welcoming certain provincial initiatives like health cards and scholarships, Langau expressed concern over incomplete progress and the deprivation of representation for areas like Kalat. He cautioned that shifts in leadership often lead to policy changes, affecting public welfare. Labeling law and order as the “biggest and most important challenge,” he called for the chief minister and a dedicated interior minister to focus all institutional attention on immediate security improvements.
Criticizing the province’s annual financial agreement with the federal government as against Balochistan’s interests, Langau also directed a message to the youth. Acknowledging widespread deprivation beyond Balochistan, he urged against disillusionment, citing Islamic teaching that “disappointment is called disbelief.” His central plea was for constructive engagement: “Only by picking up the pen instead of the gun can we compete with developed nations.”
Meanwhile the District Monitoring Officer (DMO) has summoned Balochistan’s Parliamentary Secretary for Transport, Liaquat Lehri, for an alleged violation of the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) Code of Conduct.
The action follows a notice issued to the minister, stating that he attended an election corner meeting for a General Member in Ward No. 4, Union Council 14 of Zarghun Town. The DMO’s office contends this constitutes a breach of Paragraph 18 of the ECP code, which explicitly prohibits high-ranking government officials—including provincial ministers—from participating in election campaigns.
