If the Police Cannot Provide Protection, Where Should the Public Go? Speaker Balochistan Assembly Expresses Strong Anger at Police Officials Over Asma Jatak and Laiba Sattar Cases

QUETTA (Daily Qudrat Quetta) — An important meeting was held in the Speaker’s Chamber under the chairmanship of Speaker Balochistan Provincial Assembly Captain (R) Abdul Khaliq Khan Achakzai, in which the cases of Asma Jatak and Laiba Sattar from Kalat district, the security concerns faced by the affected families, the non-arrest of the accused, and progress in police investigations were reviewed in detail. The Speaker directed police officials to complete transparent and effective investigations into both cases, take action against the nominated accused in accordance with the law, and ensure the protection of the affected families.

The meeting was attended by MPA Ali Maddad Jatak, Mir Jahanzeb Mengal, Mir Zafarullah Khan Zehri, Secretary Balochistan Provincial Assembly Tahir Shah Kakar, and Assistant Inspector General of Police Asif Khan.

During the meeting, the Speaker of the Balochistan Assembly said that under his ruling given in the Assembly session, the DIG Khuzdar Range had been summoned to the Speaker’s Chamber to obtain clarification regarding the progress in the cases of Asma Jatak and Laiba Sattar, the police investigations, and the measures taken to provide protection to the affected families. However, the Speaker expressed concern over the participation of AIG Asif Khan instead of the DIG Khuzdar Range and viewed the matter as a violation of the Assembly’s privilege.

Addressing the meeting, Speaker Abdul Khaliq Achakzai said that the repeated discussion of such sensitive incidents in the Balochistan Assembly is extremely alarming. The police are the guardians of the people and their elected representatives, and their basic responsibility is to ensure the protection of citizens’ lives and property.

Addressing the police officials, he said that you are our protectors; if you cannot provide us protection, then what can we say in this regard. The Speaker stressed that the police should perform their duties effectively and take practical steps for the protection of citizens and the provision of justice.

During the meeting, AIG Asif Khan said that security has been provided to Asma Jatak and her family. On this, the Speaker raised the question that if security is being provided to the affected woman, how are the concerns and protection matters faced by her family being ensured. He made clear that the protection of affected families should not be limited to mere formalities, but solid measures should be taken that ensure their protection and also restore their confidence.

Police officials told the meeting that investigations into both incidents related to Asma Jatak and Laiba Sattar are ongoing and various aspects of the cases are being reviewed.

The Speaker of the Balochistan Assembly directed police officials to complete the investigations in a transparent, impartial, and effective manner, take action against the nominated accused in the cases in accordance with the law, and provide complete security to the affected families. He said that the enforcement of the law, protection of citizens’ basic rights, and provision of justice are the primary responsibility of state institutions.

The Speaker further said that delays in sensitive cases and lack of progress in investigations create a sense of insecurity among the people, therefore police officials should perform their duties with full seriousness and take necessary steps for the provision of justice to the affected families.

He stressed that cases related to the protection of women should be given special importance and an effective strategy should be adopted to remove the security concerns faced by the affected individuals and their families, so that the people’s trust in law enforcement agencies remains intact.