ISLAMABAD, Nov 25: Senate Chairman Mohammadmian Soomro has disallowed a resolution moved by People's Party Parliamentarians (PPP) Senator Farhatullah Khan Babar, seeking discussion on the issue of alleged maltreatment of Badin fishermen by Rangers, sources told Dawn here on Thursday.

The sources said the resolution submitted by Mr Babar early this month stated: "This house expresses deep concern over the plight of the fishermen in Badin and other districts of Sindh and calls for taking immediate steps to restore their fishing rights.

Further, it calls upon the government to hold an inquiry into the allegations of maltreatment of fishermen by members of law-enforcement agencies and to bring to justice those who have committed crimes against fishermen and their families."

In a letter addressed to the PPP senator, the Senate Secretariat said the resolution had been disallowed by the chairman under Rule 121(3) of the Rules of Business in the Senate because "it does not relate to one definite issue".

The resolution will, therefore, not be taken up during the forthcoming session of the Senate scheduled to start from Friday. Meanwhile, the PPP and the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) have jointly requisitioned the meeting of the Human Rights Committee of the Senate to consider issues relating to the violation of human rights of fishermen in Badin and other districts of Sindh. The meeting has been convened on December 7.

The meeting was requisitioned by PPP senators Farhatullah Babar and Sardar Latif Khosa, and Dr Mohammad Said of the MMA. The opposition members have also demanded that Rangers director-general, Sindh, district nazim and elected representatives of Badin along with the officials concerned from the federal and provincial governments should also be summoned to testify before the committee.