July 27, 2008	Sunday	Rajab 23, 1429

ISLAMABAD, July 26: Acting Senate chairman Jan Mohammad Jamali on Saturday convened a session of the Upper House on August 4 to discuss various national issues, specially the situation in the tribal areas.

The session had been requisitioned on Thursday by 30 lawmakers belonging to the Pakistan Muslim League-Q, PML-F, Muttahida Qaumi Movement and Pakistan People’s Party-Sherpao.

It is for the first time that opposition parties are requisitioning a Senate session after the installation of the PPP-led coalition government.

The opposition senators have submitted a four-point agenda for the 45th Senate session. They want a discussion on the situation in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas and on the Pakistan-Afghanistan border with particular reference to provocative statements of the Afghan president, a debate on the government decision to increase prices of petroleum products, and efforts to roll back the local government system.

Under the rules, the chairman should convene the Senate session within 14 days of the submission of the notice. However, the acting chairman summoned the session at 5pm on August 4 because the Senate Chairman, Mohammadmian Soomro, is abroad.