19 September 2004	Sunday	03 Shaban 1425

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ISLAMABAD, Sept 18: Members of Democratic Alliance in the Senate have submitted an amendment to the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Senate seeking change in the definition of the opposition leader.

Through the amendment, the opposition members have suggested that "in Chapter 1 Rule 2(1), the existing definition of "leader of the opposition" shall be deleted and a new definition shall substitute it.

Under the new definition, the amendment says: "Leader of the opposition means a member of the House in whom, for the time being the majority of the members in opposition to the government in the House, nominate in writing by ascribing their signatures and communicate it to the chairman. The chairman shall within one day notify the member so nominated."

According to parliamentary leader of the Democratic Alliance Raza Rabbani, the purpose of moving this amendment was to eliminate the discretionary power of the Senate chairman to nominate the opposition leader.

He said the opposition felt the need of moving this resolution as the chairman had failed to nominate the opposition leader despite passage of 18 months.

Those who have moved the amendment included JWP Senator Amanullah Kanrani, Dr Safdar Ali Abbasi, Mohammad Enver Baig,Rukhsana Zuberi, Dr Abdullah Riar and Abdul Latif Ansari of the PPP, Ishaq Dar, Sardar Mahtab Ahmed Abbasi and Sadia Abbasi of the PML-N and Asfandyar Wali of the ANP.