January 26, 2003	Sunday	Ziqa’ad 22,1423

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ISLAMABAD, Jan 25: The opposition parliamentary groups in the National Assembly appear to be undecided on requisitioning a session before Eidul Azha or soon after it.

Earlier, it was indicated by the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal, the People’s Party Parliamentarians and the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) that they were considering to submit a joint requisition with the speaker and they had obtained required signatures of the members of the assembly.

However, as MMA Deputy Secretary-General Hafiz Hussain Ahmed put it on Saturday, the opposition parties wanted to make sure that their requisitioned session was not prorogued due to less attendance in the Haj season.

He said the opposition wanted to discuss maltreatment of Pakistanis in the United States, constitutional issues, including the Legal Framework Order, interference by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in domestic matters, and the foreign and economic policies.

He said the opposition parliamentary parties would decide whether they could ensure running of the house before Eid since a number of members would be abroad for performing Haj.

He said PML-N leader Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan had told him that he was in contact with the PPP on the question and would discuss the issue with the MMA before finalizing the strategy.

Hafiz Hussain said the opposition parties understood that if they requisitioned the session, they would be responsible to maintain the quorum.

He said he had discussed the issue with MMA Parliamentary Leader Qazi Hussain Ahmed in Lahore.

He said that if the requisition was not submitted within a couple of days, it would be delayed till after the Eid.

MMA Secretary-General Maulana Fazlur Rahman has returned from Karachi to join the discussion on the agenda and the requisitioning of the session.

MMA MEETING: Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) has convened an extraordinary meeting of its central committee on Monday (Jan 27), the alliance’s deputy secretary general Hafiz Hussain Ahmed told Dawn on Saturday.

The meeting, to be presided over by MMA chief Allama Shah Ahmed Noorani, will be attended by the heads of five other component parties, deputy secretary generals, information secretary, and others.

Hafiz Hussain said the treatment meted out to Pakistani expatriates by the American authorities would top the agenda, while the political dialogue held with other parties by the alliance leadership would also come under discussion.

It will also discuss and decide a strategy to contest the Senate elections in the light of its parleys for seat adjustments with other parties.

The alliance top brass is also expected to discuss its goal of enforcement of Islamic Shariah in the NWFP where it had its own government. It will also be deliberating upon the working relations between the coalition partners in Balochistan.

The question of LFO, a bone of contention between the opposition parties and the pro-Musharraf Jamali government, is to be discussed in view of the latest developments, including extension given to superior courts judges in the tenure of their service. A decision will be taken to tackle the matter.

The alliance will also finalize its list of Senate candidates after withdrawals and scrutiny process is over.

When asked about his meeting with the PML-N’s deputy parliamentary leader, Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, on Saturday, Hafiz Hussain Ahmed evaded to divulge details, saying, “it was off the record”.