December 6, 2003	Saturday	Shawwal 11, 1424

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ISLAMABAD Dec 5: The combined opposition in the Senate blasted the government on Friday for exposing the upper house to ridicule by adopting what it called a sneaky method to fulfil the constitutional obligation of completing 90 working days in a parliamentary year.

Speaking at a joint news conference at the Parliament House committee room after en bloc walk out from the Senate, the leaders of the Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy (ARD) and the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal {MMA) blamed National Assembly Speaker of committing breach of privilege of both the lower and upper houses by setting up an unconstitutional committee on water issues.

People’s Party Parliamentarians parliamentary leader Mian Raza Rabbani said the NA speaker had constituted a committee on water comprising MNAs and senators without constitutional authority, and warned that the opposition would not accept any of its findings as legal.

He warned that the opposition would bring a privilege motion both in the National Assembly and the Senate against the NA speaker.

Senator Rabbani said the government was bent upon destroying the sanctity of parliament by denying it its constitutional role of legislation.

The combined opposition, he went on to say, was united on one point that the Legal Framework Order could not be part of the Constitution unless parliament passed it.

He said it was shameful that the Senate which represented the federation was sidelined in such a manner and allowed to work for only 28 days out of its 235 days tenure.

Senator Rabbani said on the one hand, the government was not taking any legislative business to the Senate and, on the other, Senate chairman had rejected a number of motions which the opposition had filed to debate some national issues on the floor of the upper house.

He condemned the detention of Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy President Javed Hashmi on the basis of a forged letter which was delivered to many members of parliament, and criticised the speaker in failing to issue his production order under Rule 90.

The PPP leader said the government could not cow down the entire opposition by indicting Javed Hashmi or keeping Asif Ali Zardari behind the bars for over seven years without any case.

He made it clear that the PPP was not involved in any behind-the-scene negotiations with the government.

GHAFOOR: Senator prof Ghafoor Ahmed of the MMA said after completion of the required working days of the National Assembly in a sham way the government had now summoned the Senate to complete its 90 working days by observing four holidays a week.

Referring to the ongoing overtures between Islamabad and New Delhi for normalisation, the veteran politician pointed out that the top Indian leadership had recently stated in clear words that Kashmir issue was not on the agenda of talks.

He asked the government to fulfil its pledge of bringing the amendment bill as agreed upon between the Pakistan Muslim League and the MMA teams to parliament for debate and assent.

Senator Ghafoor said transfer of power to a civilian dispensation as laid down in the Supreme Court verdict had not yet been completed and General Musharraf alone was responsible for impeding the process.

DAR: Ishaq Dar of the PML-N said the country’s economy was in a bad shape as the foreign exchange reserves were mismanaged.

PMAP: Senator Raza Mohammad Raza of Pashtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party (PAMP) warned that General Musharraf could also face Georgia-like situation when the nation would unitedly rise against him.