March 11, 2006	Saturday	Safar 10, 1427

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ISLAMABAD, March 10: Action taken by the special branch of sindh police against provincial assembly members during the upper house election on March 6 came under fire in the Senate when it started its 27th session here on Friday.

The house bade farewell to 50 outgoing senators who stand retired on completion of their 3-year term on March 11 as a result of the ballot held on Jan 2.

Senate Chairman Mohammadmian Soomro, who has won party’s nomination for another term in office, was too generous to allow lawmakers to deliver speeches to narrate their experiences while in office and word of commendation from those who were either re-elected or had retained a seat in the draw.

Leader of the Opposition Mian Raza Rabbani accused the special branch of manhandling a number of opposition MPAs, media persons and his party MPA Mukesh Kumar and misbehaviour with his sister Ms Chawla who later won Senate election.

He said the special branch personnel, under instructions from the administration, roughed up a number of MPAs especially from opposition’s side during an uncalled for body search and later lodged a ridiculous FIR against MPA Mukesh Kumar on charges of stealing a wrist watch.

Ruling PML secretary-general Mushahid Hussain, whose indulgence was sought by the opposition leader, assured the house of a fair investigation into the incident.

He said he had taken up the matter with the Sindh chief minister who was very fair in such cases and had promised an impartial inquiry.

Later, the house suspended the question hour to accommodate maximum number of outgoing senators to speak.

In all the speeches of outgoing senators was a unanimous vote of gratitude and commendation for PPP lawmaker Farhatullah Babar for his outstanding performance as a lawmaker all through his three-year tenure.

As a first speaker, Mr Babar, who is also spokesman for PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto, said: “Together with all members we tried to further the cause of democracy, human rights, the rule of law and constitutionalism as each one of

us saw it.”

He said: “I celebrate the fact that during the past three years we were also able at times to question, probe and challenge some of the powerful individuals, groups and institutions which have traditionally disdained questioning by the civilian authority and refused to submit to accountability.”

He said there were very few who chose not to speak during this period and there were also those few who, when the battle lines were drawn, chose to follow their conscience rather than the party line. But they were so few whether one could use the plural tense for them. “They are the jewels of this House, I salute them,” he added.

The outgoing coalition Senator Mohim Khan Baloch said the country was deprived of its democratic direction, the provincial autonomy right on provincial resources as promised by the 1973 constitution after passage of 58 years.

He strongly opposed the use of state machinery instead of political dialogue to resolve political issues in Balochistan and tribal areas.

Tanvir Khalid of the ruling PML stressed party loyalty as basis of democratic norms and enlightened moderation as hallmark of progressive Islam.

She said the Sindh chapter of the PML refused to follow the principle of allotment of tickets to the old lawmakers and therefore she was dropped to bring in new faces in the upper house.

Aslam Buledi of Jamhoori Watan Party said Balochistan was under fire and Baloch were treated like slaves. He said: “We are ideological people and our leader Nawab Akbar Bugti is fighting for the rights of people.”

Amanullah Kanrani of the JWP said none of the proposals of the parliamentary committee were implemented and the stress was on military operation. He said the committee had proposed equipping the Balochistan levy force while the government was in process of abolishing it.

As a result of armed forces’ atrocities, he said 100,000 civilians were forced to leave their houses in search of safe abodes.

Prof Khurshid of the MMA, who has been re-elected, proposed continuation of certain facilities to the outgoing senators including residential facilities as well as their attending the parliamentary proceedings without a pass.