LANDI KOTAL, March 8: With speculations doing the round about appointment of Commander Khalil as the new NWFP governor, some tribal senators have decided to lay claim to the post of deputy chairman of Senate.

Out of the eight senators from Federally-Administered Tribal areas, six held a meeting in Islamabad on Monday and nominated Hamidullah Afridi as their parliamentary leader as part of their campaign for the nomination of a tribal senator as the Senate deputy chairman. This is for the first time that Fata senators have nominated a leader from amongst them for a major post.

Two pro-MMA tribal senators abstained from Monday's meeting. Senator Hamidullah Afridi told Dawnthat all his colleagues were unanimous in their demand for the post of Deputy Chairman of Senate after the post falls vacant after the appointment of Commander Khalil as the new NWFP governor.

He said they had the support of at least five tribal MNAs as well. Mr Afridi said they would soon meet Senate Chairman and Leader of the Opposition in the upper house to convey them their demand. "We have every right to lay claim to the post of Deputy Chairman," said Hamidullah Afridi, adding that he was also in touch with the two pro-MMA tribal senators to muster their support.

The Fata senators demand has also been backed by Malik Munir Urakzai, the parliamentary leader of tribal MNAs in the National Assembly. He told Dawnthat although he was not personally approached by tribal senators as he was away in Parachinar, he and his colleagues were firmly behind tribal senators.

Federal State Minister for Tourism Dr Ghazi Gulab Jamal, also a Fata MNA, has also reportedly met tribal senators in Islamabad and assured them of his support. Another Senator from Khyber Agency, Hafiz Abdul Malik ,told Dawn that they had made a firm decision and would very strongly present their case for the post of the deputy chairman.

He said Fata had never been given the chance to led the upper house while all other federating units were duly compensated both in the past and recently.