Rashid's statement invites protest by opposition
 The opposition parties strongly protested a statement by Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, the federal information minister, calling Nawab Akbar Bugti a "warlord". The remarks sparked a strong protest that led to a token walkout by the opposition from the National Assembly on Monday evening.
| On the other hand, they walk out so often, their colleagues aren't even sure what the front of them looks like... |
Abdul Rauf Mengal of the Balochistan National Party and Hafiz Hussian Ahmed of Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal threatened to boycott the proposed committee formed to visit the troubled Sui area if the minister did not take his words back. Speaking on points of order, they said the MMA and Baloch nationalist parties would not be part of the committee, rather they would visit the area on their own. They said even if the Pakistan People's Party Parliamentarians (PPP-P) joined the committee, they would boycott it. Treasury member Riaz Pirzada also objected to the remarks and said the government must clarify if it was going to negotiate with a "warlord". Syed Khurshid Shah of the PPP-P said that the remarks would deteriorate the situation and might take the country into a 1971-like situation. He said such remarks from a minister would have a serious aeffect on the county's politics. |