November 24, 2002	Sunday	Ramazan 18, 1423

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ISLAMABAD, Nov 23: The Pakistan People’s Party on Saturday sharply reacted to the appointment of six-party dissenters to the new cabinet.

“The prime minister has, on this inaugural day, fulfilled a promise which was not based on morality or ethical principles. It was immoral, unethical,” the party spokesman, Farhatullah Babar, told AFP.

“More than a quarter of the portfolios have gone to PPP dissenters.”

Show-cause notices were issued earlier in the week to the PPP dissenters’ three apparent leaders, Makhdoom Faisal Saleh Hayat, Rao Sikandar Iqbal and Naurez Shakoor, Babar said.

They were asked to explain why they had both voiced opposition to party policies and voted against the party in parliamentary elections for the prime minister, and for speaker and deputy speaker.

“They have violated party discipline and a proceeding is under way. Under the rules they have seven days to respond,” he said.

“It will take eight to 10 days to decide cases of their possible expulsion from the party.”

Babar said a decision on what would happen to the other dissenters would be made after the leaders had responded to their notices.

“They have voted against the party candidate for prime ministership and they have been rewarded immediately. It is very clear now that formation of government was not possible without their support,” he said.

“Benazir Bhutto is very much upset on what they have done.”—AFP