ISLAMABAD, March 3: The Election Commission (EC) on Friday directed the Punjab home secretary to ensure the presence of two detained members of parliament in the National Assembly on March 10 so that they could cast vote in the Senate poll.

The commission, however, concluded that it was not an appropriate forum to decide a similar request for Makhdoom Javed Hashmi, who is serving a 23-year jail term for abetting mutiny.

Mian Mohammad Aslam, a Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal MNA from Islamabad, and MNA Khwaja Saad Rafique of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, were arrested in connection with violence during opposition’s demonstrations against blasphemous cartoons.

Mian Aslam has been lodged in the Adiyala Jail, Rawalpindi, while Khwaja Rafiq is in Kot Lakhpat Jail, Lahore.

The EC decided to summon the two MNAs at a meeting held to consider the application of B.A. Malik, a candidate for the Senate seat from the capital. Acting Chief Election Commissioner Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar was in the chair.

Mr Malik contended that the two MNAs should be produced in the Parliament House on March 10 so that they could exercise their right to vote in the Senate election.

The commission after deliberations concluded that the Punjab home secretary be directed to produce the detained MNAs in the National Assembly for the purpose.

About Mr Hashmi, president of the Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy, the commission decided that his case was ‘distinguishable’ from the case of the two MNAs detained under preventive detention.

Mr Hashmi’s appeal is pending before the Lahore High Court. Neither his sentence has been suspended by the high court nor any interim relief has been granted to him, the commission observed.

The commission suggested that the petitioner, Mr Malik, should approach appropriate forum for redressal of grievance regarding Mr Hashmi.

The meeting was attended by EC members Justice Nasim Sikandar, Justice Ahmed Khan Lashari and Justice Mohammad Sadiq Leghari.