LAHORE, Jan 26: Punjab PPP president Qasim Zia demanded on Monday that the parliament should discuss the issue of debriefing of the nuclear scientists and decide what policy should the government pursue.

At a hurriedly-convened news conference at his Punjab Assembly office, he said those who found in breach of the country's law by leaking nuclear secrets should be punished.

Information secretary Naveed Chaudhry was also present on the occasion. Mr Zia criticized the way the nuclear scientists were being humiliated by the government.

He was also critical of Gen Musharraf for visiting various countries and issuing policy statements. Under the constitution, he said, it was the prerogative of the cabinet and parliament, not an unconstitutional president, to give policies on various issues.

The PPP leader said the general should not be allowed to undertake foreign visits. In response to a question, he said Ms Bhutto would return to Pakistan anytime during the current year. The situation was changing fast in view of which the national leadership should be home.

He answered in the negative when a reporter asked him about the possibility of Ms Bhutto and Mian Shahbaz Sharif returning home together. He said no such decision had been taken, but at the same time there was no final word in politics.

Mr Zia said the proceedings of the Punjab Assembly for the year 2003 had been published by the government, expunging all remarks made by various legislators against Gen Musharraf.

Expunging of these remarks amounted to distorting history, he maintained. The PPP leader said his party would hold seminars at divisional headquarters on Feb 5 to express solidarity with the Kashmiri people. More programmes for the day would be decided by the provincial executive at a meeting on Jan 30, he concluded.