03 October 2004	Sunday	17 Shaban 1425

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ISLAMABAD, Oct 2: The People's Party Parliamentarians has expressed concern over its 'under representation' in the parliamentary committee on Balochistan.

Sources told Dawn on Saturday that the PPP's parliamentary leader in the Senate, Raza Rabbani, submitted a privilege motion to the Senate secretariat on Friday to protest against composition of the 29-member committee.

The committee, led by Pakistan Muslim League President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, consists of 19 treasury and 10 opposition members.

MNA Makhdoom Amin Fahim is the only member from the PPP in the committee.

The sources said the PPP leadership was unhappy over the formation of the committee but it was not likely to reject it because of the inclusion of several leaders of the Pakistan Oppressed Nations Movement in it.

"If something positive and acceptable to the nationalist leaders of Balochistan comes out then our party will welcome it," a senior PPP parliamentarian said.

He said it was unlikely that such a large committee would come out with any serious suggestions for the resolution of the issue.

Senator Rabbani has stated in his privilege motion: "The committee which is to deal with Balochistan and inter-provincial harmony violates the conditions laid down in the resolution of its formation". The Senate chairman had announced the formation of the committee on Sept 29 in pursuance of resolution adopted by the National Assembly and the Senate in this regard.

He said, on being contacted, that the PPP had reservations on the manner in which the committee had been formed in disregard to the provision of the resolution and the understanding between the treasury and opposition benches prior to its passage.

He said there appeared to be no fixed rationale in giving representation to parties. "It is strange that the PPP, despite being the second largest party in both the houses, has been given only one seat," he said. He said two members of the Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy, whose strength in both the houses was 96, had been taken.