ISLAMABAD, May 5: Senate Chairman Muhammadmian Soomro on Wednesday assured the upper house that a discussion on allegations of controversial appointments in the ministry of defence and PIA would be taken up in due course of time.

He made the observation when PPP-Parliamentarians Senator Enver Beg accused Defence Minister Rao Sikander Iqbal and the ruling party Senator Nisar Memon, of nepotism on the floor of the Senate.

"You have raised the point and it would be taken up," said the Senate chairman. Speaking on a point of order, Senator Beg accused the defence minister of appointing his son-in-law, a serving army official as district manager, Marketing, Rawalpindi, of PIA in Group Nine.

The senator said the official was drawing a salary of Rs60,000 per month from PIA in addition to holding a post in the defence ministry as well. Senator Beg said the defence minister had also appointed his son to a good post in PIA, Islamabad office, in Group Five.

Pointing out another case of 'irregular' appointment, Senator Beg said he had reports that a daughter of Senator Nisar Memon, a civilian, was appointed as director in ISPR on a six- figure salary.

Questioning the government's recruitment policy in the defence ministry and the PIA, Senator Beg asked what criterion had been adopted for the appointment of Mr Memon's daughter and the son and son-in-law of the defence minister.

"Is it good governance that the defence minister is involved in this irregularity?" the senator asked. Senator Beg asked the chairman to ensure the presence of the defence minister in the Senate to answer the questions.