November 5, 2003	Wednesday	Ramazan 9, 1424

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ISLAMABAD, Nov 4: Forty-seven ARD legislators, out of a total 78, resigned from all standing committees of the National Assembly on Tuesday.

A copy of the joint resignation, submitted to the speaker, showed the ARD members had resigned in “protest against gross under representation of the opposition members on the committees.”

In accordance with the understanding reached between the business advisory committee and the speaker, the ARD parliamentary group was to get representation in line with its strength in the house. This understanding has been violated, read contents of the resignation.

The decision to resign en bloc from the recently-constituted standing committees was taken at a parliamentary party meeting of the alliance. ARD chairman Makhdoom Amin Fahim presided over the meeting.

In the resignation, signed by 47 members, the ARD leaders stated that the choice of committees given by them had been ignored. “We, therefore, feel that we will be serving no useful purpose by sitting on the committees,” they said, adding “we are accordingly withdrawing all names”.

Talking to Dawn, ARD parliamentary secretary Izhar Amrohvi said the resignations from individual members were also being obtained as there was a chance that the speaker might not accept a collective resignation.

An ARD source claimed the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal members had contacted the alliance leadership and informed them that they were also considering resigning from these committees.