07 January 2005	Friday	25 Ziqa'ad 1425

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ISLAMABAD, Jan 6: Opposition members on Thursday walked out of a meeting of a Senate committee after an exchange of hot words with Law Minister Wasi Zafar over the absence of National Accountability Bureau Chairman Lt-Gen Munir Hafiz from the proceedings.

Speaking at a press conference, People's Party Parliamentarians Senators Raza Rabbani and Farhatullah Babar and Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal Senator Dr Ismail Buledi criticized the government and even threatened to resign from the committees.

The meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Rules of Procedures and Privileges had been convened to discuss the motion, moved by ruling Pakistan Muslim League Senator Mushahid Hussain in which he had stated that his privilege had been breached by the minister in-charge of the PM Secretariat, Dr Sher Afgan, by giving reply to a question which he said was based on 'wrong information' provided by NAB.

Opposition members regretted that neither the NAB chairman nor the mover of the motion had been served notices for the meeting which was a clear violation of the rules. They alleged that treasury members in the committee had bulldozed the proceedings because of 'pressure' from NAB.

PPP Senator Farhatullah Babar asked the NAB chairman to clarify his position on the issue voluntarily or resign from the post. Mr Babar also condemned the Senate Secretariat staff for changing the agenda of the meeting.

He said the agenda the opposition members had received only a day before the meeting in which it was written that the meeting would discuss the issue of "wrong information provided on the floor of the house". But, he said, the word 'wrong' had been missing from the agenda which they received just 10 minutes before the meeting. He also condemned the committee's decision to close the matter without hearing the parties concerned by declaring the words 'wrong information' a typographical error.

Mr Rabbani said that opposition members had asked the committee's acting chairman, Naeem Chattha, to explain why notices had not been issued to the NAB chairman and the mover for the meeting.

He reminded that the committee's first meeting had to be postponed because of the NAB chairman's absence. He said that opposition members had come to know through press reports that the NAB chairman had refused to appear before the Senate body.

He said that ANP Senator Asfandyar Wali was not present in the meeting and the combined opposition would hold talks to decide about its strategy. MMA Senator Ismail Buledi reminded treasury members of the committee that every government official was answerable to the Senate committees.

He also said that opposition could even consider the option to resign from the standing committees, if the government continued with the same policy of what he termed pushing opposition towards the wall.

Mr Buledi termed the committee's proceedings illegal and unconstitutional. Meanwhile, a handout issued by the Senate Secretariat said: "The committee after detailed deliberations came to the conclusion that no breach of privilege of a member of the house occurred and as such disposed off the matter ... The minister for parliamentary affairs, Dr Sher Afgan, stated that he had already explained on the floor of the house that there was typographical error in the reply."

The meeting was attended by Kamil Ali Agha, Babar Khan Ghori and Justice (retd) Abdul Razzaq Thaheem besides Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Dr Sher Afgan and Law Minister Wasi Zafar.