Musharraf regime accused of using poison gas on civilians in Balochistan
Dated 24/12/2005
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Islamabad: The Kalabagh Dam issue and ongoing military operation in Balochistan caused uproar in the Senate on Friday, with the opposition walking out of proceedings.
The opposition demanded an end to the military operation in Balochistan, saying the issue should be resolved politically.
Also, senators belonging to the nationalist parties of Balochistan accused the military of using poison gas in Kohlu and of carpet-bombing civilians in the area.
They claimed that 194 civilians had been killed including women and children since December 17 when paramilitary personnel launched its operation against the people of Kohlu.
However, the government denied any military operation in Balochistan, saying law enforcement personnel were retaliating against "miscreant fire".
The opposition walked out of the House when Leader of the Opposition Raza Rabbi and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Dr Sher Afgan Niazi exchanged hot words over the Kalabagh Dam issue.
Afgan had said earlier that President Pervez Musharraf would build Kalabagh Dam and that the Pakistan People's Party Parliamentarians (PPPP) was politicising the issue.
"It is on record that Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif also made the same decisions during their governments, but later backed out after succumbing to political pressures," Afgan said.
"I was also a minister at the time and several people, including myself, witnessed Benazir changing the dam
