15 February 2005	Tuesday	05 Muharram 1426

ISLAMABAD, Feb 14: The opposition on Monday gave notice to the Senate secretariat detailing the reasons for moving a breach of privilege motion against Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri for furnishing inaccurate and incomplete information to the upper House.

Senator Enver Baig of the People's Party Parliamentarians (PPP) gave the notice on behalf of the Democratic Alliance for moving the breach of privilege motion under Rule 61 of the Senate rules.

Speaking on a point of order, Senator Baig said the foreign minister, through a press statement, had admitted that he had given incorrect information to the Senate.

He claimed breach of privilege as the information was placed on the floor in response to his question asking the government to inform the House about Umra expenses of the three prime ministers during 2004.

In the notice, he said there were discrepancies in the statements attributed to Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and the information provided by the foreign minister to the house and his subsequent retraction of partial information related to the former prime minister.

Shujaat Hussain had claimed in a press release that he had paid Saudi riyal 70,848 (approximately Rs1.1 million) as hotel expenses for some members of his entourage.

The information furnished by the foreign minister to the Senate had shown that total expenses incurred on the entourage of the former premier had amounted to Rs15.2 million of tax payers' money.

The notice said the matter should be discussed on the floor of the House before being referred to the privilege committee as breach of privilege had been caused.

In reply to a question in his chamber, minister for parliamentary affairs Dr Sher Afgan said he would oppose the motion as the matter had been clarified by the foreign minister and the PML president.