25 September 2004	Saturday	09 Shaban 1425

Please Visit our Sponsor (Ads open in separate window).

ISLAMABAD, Sept 24: A treasury member on Friday staged a walk-out boycotting the proceedings of the Senate to protest against formation of a joint parliamentary committee on the issues of Balochistan.

Speaking on a point of order soon after the question hour, Muhim Khan Baloch of the Balochistan National Party (Awami) protested at the government's move to form a joint parliamentary body, instead of the Senate committee, on the issue of Balochistan and that too without taking him into confidence.

The Senate on Thursday unanimously adopted a resolution calling for the formation of a joint parliamentary committee comprising parliamentary leaders of all parties from lower and upper houses on the issue of Balochistan and to submit its recommendations within 90 days.

"I am the head of a major political party of Balochistan and a member of the treasury benches, but I was not taken into confidence before introducing the resolution on Thursday," Mr Muhim Baloch said.

He said former prime minister Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain on the floor of the house had announced formation of a committee of Senate members to resolve the issue. He said that despite passage of two months, no committee had been formed and now in violation of Chaudhry Shujaat's decision, a new body had been proposed. But it would not resolve the issue, he claimed.

"As a protest, I will boycott the proceedings," said the leader and left the house. Deputy Chairman Khalilur Rehman, who was presiding over the session, asked Mushahid Hussain to go and bring him back, but he failed to bring the BNP senator back to the house.

Later, leader of the house Wasim Sajjad said the resolution was passed unanimously after consultations with the members and even the opposition was also consulted on the issue.

However, another ruling party Senator Pari Gul Agha took the floor on a point of order and announced her support for Mr Muhim Baloch. She said the leader was right in complaining because the senators belonging to Balochistan had never been taken into confidence on issues relating to their province. She complained that even questions of senators from Balochistan were not answered properly.

At this point, Wasim Sajjad suggested that a day could be reserved exclusively to discuss the issue of Balochistan. However, this proposal of Mr Sajjad also received criticism both from the treasury as well as the opposition benches. "Why are you treating Balochistan in this manner? Is Balochistan not part of Pakistan? There is no need to allocate a special day for Balochistan," said Ms Agha.

The matter was resolved by the deputy chairman, saying that Mr Sajjad had given the proposal in a good faith as Balochistan had numerous problems which could not be discussed during the normal proceedings.

Meanwhile, speaking on a point of order Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) Senator Liaquat Ali Bangalzai drew the attention of the house towards a news report stating that students in the Northern Areas had been given a questionnaire by the Aga Khan Foundation asking some objectionable questions.

Mr Bangalzai said students from class IX to XI had been asked "whether they had ever enjoyed sex in their life?" He asked the education minister to take action against the Aga Khan Foundation.

Minister for Education Javed Ashraf Qazi said Mr Bangalzai had raised the issue on the basis of a news report. If he had a copy of the questionnaire, he should present it in the house.