QUETTA: Balochistan Assembly came into existence under a presidential order after getting status of province in 1972.
The assembly had not its own building at that time. Before construction of the present assembly building, its first session was held in Shahi Jirga Hall which is now City District Council.
The sessions of the assembly continued till April 28, 1987 in Shahi Jirga Hall.
Nawab Muhammad Akbar Bugti approved the construction of separate assembly building in 1973 when he was Governor Balochistan.
Nawab Akbar Bugti himself proposed and finalized design of the new assembly building. The assembly building mirror beautiful "tent" shaped which also reflect tradition of the province.
The assembly building covers 65400 square feet which is situated in cantonment area on Zarhgoon Road. Its foundation stone was laid by General Zia-ul-Haq and it was inaugurated by ex-prime minister Muhammad Khan Junijo on April 28, 1987. It was completed at a cost of Rs 50.2 million.
There were only 21 seats for members in Shahi Jirga Hall while 72 seats have been set up for members in existing assembly building. Besides, 25 seats for guests in joint gallery of speaker and governor, separate 25 seats for senior officials of the provincial government, 168 seats for general guests and 65 seats for journalists in press gallery have been established in the building.
Offices for ministers have been set up in the assembly building and separate chambers for speaker, deputy speaker and opposition leader are also located in the building.
Former governor Balochistan Amir-ul-Mulk Mengal inaugurated the new administrative block of the building in the premises of the assembly in October 2002. The new block is named as Assembly Secretariat. The block consisted of 76 rooms and a conference hall which has the capacity of 60 persons for seating. Besides, reporting room, committee room, research centre, printing, editing, and accounts offices are also located in the secretariat block.
There is a library in which over 10,000 books including English, Urdu and in local languages on different topics are kept for studying for members. Besides, there is also a mosque which was inaugurated by General Zia-ul-Haq on June 28, 1987. There are three lawns in the premises of the building where beautiful flowers and trees have been planted.
Senior lawyer dies in Quetta: Balochistan's eminent Income Tax advocate Sabihul Hassan Siddiqi has died due to cardiac arrest here the other day.
He was 80. He was laid to rest here at his family graveyard on Sunday. The funeral prayer was offered at graveyard.
A large number of tribal notables, political leaders, nazimin, writers and government officials attended his funeral prayer. He has left behind a widow, a son and two daughters. Rasm-e-Soyem will be held at residence of his son Kamal Hassan Siddiqi at Shahnawaz Kurd Street here on Sariab Road on Monday.
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