18 September 2004	Saturday	02 Shaban 1425

ISLAMABAD, Sept 17: The Speaker National Assembly on Friday referred a privilege motion tabled by an opposition member against two Urdu newspapers to the privileges committee.

Moved by MNA Muhammad Usman advocate of the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal, the motion was not opposed by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Dr Sher Afgan. Mr Usman said the newspapers had published reports saying that secret agencies regarded him as a security risk and because of that he was not being invited to government functions and by foreign diplomatic missions.

He said similar reports were broadcast by the Voice of Germany and BBC in their reports. Supporting the motion, Dr Afgan clarified that the MNA was not being monitored by any secret agency nor was he considered a security risk.

Dr Afgan said besides defaming the MNA, the reports had cast an aspersion on the role of intelligence agencies. The minister requested the speaker to admit the motion and said that the newspapers should be called to explain their position.

When Speaker Chaudhry Amir Hussain suggested that the MNA should not press the motion in the interest of the house because the minister had already stated the government position, Mr Usman said that the report was carried by the first newspaper on two consecutive days and it was also published by the other newspapers and broadcast by the foreign radio stations.