KARACHI, June 28: The Sindh Assembly on Monday could not take up the day's agenda due to the strong protest and token walkout by opposition benches against the manhandling of MPAs , newsmen and other people by police on Sunday while foiling the peace rally organized by the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA).

As Chief Minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim ruled out any inquiry against police, treasury benches also dragged their feet though they had initially expressed their willingness to consider the opposition's demand for the setting up of a committee to investigate the matter.

Speaker Syed Muzaffar Hussain Shah who had emphasised the need for constituting the committee to resolve the issue and had not only acted as facilitator but also adjourned the proceedings for a while to enable the two sides to sort out modalities, ruled out of order Syed Qaim Ali Shah's contention that under the Rule 212, speaker could exercise the power by invoking Rule 211.

When the session began after 11am, MMA's parliamentary leader Maulana Omar Sadiq entered the hall wearing torn clothes, claiming that this treatment was meted out to him by police on Sunday.

He kept on standing besides his seat while verses from the Holy Quran were being recited and fateha offered. He did not utter a word, but his condition did embarrass and shock many in the house.

Opposition leader in the assembly Nisar Ahmed Khuhro drew the chair's attention to the silent, yet glaring, protest and said: "Mr speaker, look at Maulana Omar Sadiq who is leader of his alliance in the assembly. He had gone to participate in the rally for the cause of peace in the city.

But on the government's order, the police beat him up and tore off his clothes yesterday. It is very dangerous and deplorable situation." Mr Khuhro said that on the one hand, the police were torturing elected representatives outside the assembly, while on the other, the speaker in the house was not paying attention to the situation.

At this point, there was an uproar in the house as opposition members chanted slogans against the government. Nasrullah Shaji, MMA's deputy parliamentary leader, asked that when no MMA activist had resorted to violence during the rally, then who had ordered police to "attack MMA leaders and activists and subjected them to torture."

Criticizing the chief minister, Mr Shaji remarked: "Karachi is not Tharparkar where he (the CM) exploits and tortures poor people." He alleged that the government had been blackmailed by the Muttahida Qaumi Movement and forced to prevent the rally and ban the MMA leaders' entry into Sindh.

PPP's Jam Saifullah Dharejo observed that the CM had on the floor of the house declared on Sunday that he wanted to take opposition along, but on the same day unarmed people, legislators and media men were beaten up by police on his order.

Speaker Syed Muzaffar Hussain Shah expressed his resentment over police excesses on Maulana Omar Sadiq, saying that it was a serious matter and disgrace to the whole house. The issue should be given immediate attention, he stressed. MMA's Hameedullah advocate bitterly criticized the government, especially the MQM, and alleged that the government had been held hostage by a few people.

Dr Hameeda Khuhro said manhandling of legislators and elected representatives was deplorable but they should not have participated in the rally which had been disallowed under section 144.

Syed Qaim Ali Shah slammed the government's claim of pursuing good governance, saying what had happened to Omar Sadiq and others was unprecedented and deplorable. Maulana Umar Sadiq, condemning the police for manhandling the newsmen with beard, said that following religious way of life had now become a crime under this regime.

At this moment, the speaker adjourned the session for 10 minutes to sort out modalities for the setting up of a house committee to investigate the opposition's allegations about manhandling of legislators.

Syed Sardar Ahmed, taking exception to Nasrullah Shaji's remarks, said human rights were for everyone and poor people of Thar should not be discriminated against. Mr Shaji clarified that his remarks were not against the oppressed people of Thar, but against the chief minister who had exploited and relegated them to backwardness.

Law Minister Chaudhry Iftekhar assured the opposition that the government respected every member and that action would be taken against those who had committed excesses.

When the session resumed after Zuhar prayers, the law minister moved a motion to suspended the questions hour. It was opposed by Nisar Khuhro but owing to brute majority the government had it carried.

Hameedullah advocate regretted that the government had dragged its feet on the proposal to form the house committee after refusal by the CM to hold any inquiry against police.

After series of points of order on the Rules of Procedure to invoke speaker's powers for the formation of the committee, the speaker also ruled as out of order the contention by Syed Qaim Ali Shah that under Rule 212, the speaker could do so.

When the speaker suspended the question hour to take up cut motions, the opposition staged a token walkout. Later, the assembly approved 56 demands for grant for the year 2004-05 of more than Rs119.086 billion while rejecting 78 cut motions moved by the opposition. The house will meet again at 10:30am on Tuesday.