25 February 2005	Friday	15 Muharram 1426

ISLAMABAD, Feb 24: The government on Thursday suspended National Assembly Secretary Mahmood Salim Mahmood, a BPS 22 officer, amid reports that an inquiry is to be held into allegations of his objectionable behaviour during a flight from Washington to London.

"I have been informed by the authorities concerned that Mr Mahmood has been suspended," National Assembly Speaker Chaudhry Amir Hussain said when asked about reports of the secretary's suspension.

Talking to Dawn in his chamber on Thursday, the speaker said the secretary had been suspended by his parent department and he was yet to receive an official notification in this regard. "I would possibly get the notification on Friday morning," he said.

When asked about the appointment of a new secretary, Mr Hussain said he would wait till Friday morning. Normally, the additional secretary assumed the charge as acting secretary, he added.

Mr Mahmood, who was made NA secretary on Nov 8, 2002, was detained by the British authorities at Heathrow Airport on alleged charges of drunkenness and suspicion of a sexual assault during a Virgin Atlantic Flight VS22 from Washington to London on Sunday. Mr Mahmood was on his way back to the country after attending a course in the US.

He was released on the intervention of the Pakistan High Commission in the UK and assumed the charge after his return on Monday. Sources told Dawn that the secretary had been suspended on the orders of Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz who returned from Tehran on Thursday evening.

The secretary was informed about his suspension during the National Assembly session on Thursday when MMA chief Qazi Hussain Ahmed was speaking on the Balochistan situation. Prime Minister Aziz was present in the house at the time.