21 January 2004	Wednesday	28 Ziqa'ad 1424

QUETTA, Jan 20: Parliamentary opposition in Balochistan has demanded appointment of ARD Chairman Makhdoom Amin Fahim as leader of the opposition in the National Assembly.

Speaking at a joint news conference here on Tuesday, opposition leaders, including Kachkol Ali advocate, Nawab Aslam Raisani (PPP), Abdul Rahim Ziaratwal (PMAP), Mumtaz Shah (JWP) and Mohammad Akbar Mengal (BNP), accused the government of adopting an undemocratic attitude towards real opposition parties.

"The government is ignoring real opposition in the appointment of opposition leader in the National Assembly," they said and added that the appointment of opposition leader from a minority party would be a "black chapter" in the parliamentary history of Pakistan.

The opposition leaders condemned the moves allegedly being made by the federal government to appoint someone from the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) leader of the opposition in the National Assembly.