December 18, 2003	Thursday	Shawwal 23, 1424

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ISLAMABAD, Dec 17: Opposition parties resumed their noisy anti-LFO protest in the Senate on Wednesday as a deadline set by the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal for the government to bring forth an agreed constitutional amendment bill to settle the dispute passed without compliance.

Ending a truce that prevailed over two previous sittings of the upper house following the sad demise of MMA President Maulana Shah Ahmad Noorani, opposition senators walked out of the chamber, chanting slogans against President Gen Pervez Musharraf and his controversial Legal Framework Order (LFO).

Members of the MMA, the People’s Party Parliamentarians (PPP), the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) and their smaller allies thumped the desks and shouted “no LFO no” and “go Musharraf go” for a few minutes before storming out of the hall after a stinging criticism of the government’s attitude towards parliament by MMA stalwart Senator Prof Khursheed Ahmed.

Wednesday was MMA’s deadline for the government to bring a constitutional amendment bill to settle the LFO on the basis of an accord with the alliance of the Islamic parties or face public agitation from Thursday.

But there was no sign of such a bill until the Senate was adjourned until Friday morning while last-minute contacts between the MMA and the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Q appeared to fall short of a settlement.

The constitution allows originating a constitutional amendment bill in either of the two houses of parliament. But there was also indication yet when the government would convene a promised session of the 342-seat National Assembly.

NEW AUTOMOBILE POLICY: As the treasury benches continued business of the house after the opposition walkout, both Industries and Production Minister Liaquat Ali Jatoi and Commerce Minister Humayun Akhtar Khan promised a new policy on the automobile sector, possibly by next month, that would tackle issues such as high prices of cars and a demand to lift a 20-year ban on the import of reconditioned cars.

Both the ministers gave the assurances after a heated debate emerging from a call-attention notice from MQM member Babar Khan Ghori about the ban on reconditioned vehicles.

Mr Jatoi said he had received on Monday the report of a task force of senior government officials about the automobile industry and the document would go to the next cabinet meeting for a decision.

While most senators from the ruling coalition voiced their no-confidence in the task force of bureaucrats and wanted a house committee for the purpose, the commerce minister assured them that all their concerns would be considered in the cabinet before a final decision.

PROF KHURSHEED: At the start of Wednesday’s evening sitting, Senator Prof Khursheed began his anti-government tirade with a complaint about alleged failure of the state television to properly report Monday’s Senate proceedings when both sides of the house set aside their bitterness over the LFO to pay tributes to Maulana Noorani and condemn Sunday’s abortive attempt on the life of President Musharraf.

He also protested against the promulgation of a new contempt of court law on Monday by a presidential ordinance rather than bringing it as a bill in the Senate and complained of what he called a typical tendency of the government to take important decision without coming to parliament.

The MMA senator said that in some cases even decisions of the Supreme Court were not implemented and objected to frequent increases in the prices of petroleum products by an advisory committee of the oil distribution companies.

WASIM SAJJAD: Leader of the house Wasim Sajjad, speaking after the opposition walkout, justified the Contempt of Court Ordinance, saying the constitution prohibited issuance of an ordinance only during a National Assembly session but not during a Senate session.

He said it was the opposition that had shown disregard of parliament by its noisy protests and boycott of proceedings for more than a year.

CHAUDHRY NAORAIZ: Petroleum and Natural Resources Minister Chaudhry Noraiz Shakoor Khan contended that the present policy of a fortnightly review of POL prices in the light of the average world prices benefited consumers who benefited from any decrease in world prices.

But he said the government was prepared to consider any suggestions from opposition members if they were ready to discuss the matter in parliament.