Co-Chairman President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani chairing a meeting of the PPP core committee at the Presidency in Islamabad  — APP (File Photo)

ISLAMABAD: A meeting of the core committee of the ruling Pakistan People's Party expressed concern on Monday over the unexpected loss of a Senate seat in Punjab and formed a committee to investigate the matter.

The committee headed by MNA Faryal Talpur will present its report to the President within 24 hours.

The meeting at the Presidency was jointly presided over by President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani.

“The issue of loss of one seat from Punjab was discussed in the meeting and it was decided that people responsible for the setback would be taken to task,” PPP leader Fauzia Wahab told Dawn.

It is learnt that President Zardari was of the view that some members of the provincial assembly had defied the party leadership in Senate polls.

It was due to the support of certain PPP MPAs that Mohsin Leghari, an MPA of the Pakistan Muslim League (forward bloc), got elected despite the limited strength of his party in the Punjab Assembly, defeating PPP candidate Aslam Gill.

PPP Information Secretary Qamar Zaman Kaira said the party had given a mandate to the president to announce names of the chairman and the deputy chairman of Senate in consultation with coalition partners.

The President's spokesman, Mr Farhatullah Babar, said the meeting congratulated the party's Co-Chairman, President Asif Ali Zardari, and other leaders on the PPP emerging as the largest party in Senate.

Federal Minister for Water and Power Naveed Qamar briefed the meeting on the energy situation in the country. The meeting said that loadshedding was a serious issue creating hardship for the people and called for stepping up efforts to overcome the chronic energy shortage.

Interior Minister Rahman Malik briefed the meeting on the overall law and order situation, with particular reference to the situation in Balochistan and attack on buses in Kohistan and killing of passengers.

Opinion

Editorial

Judiciary’s SOS
Updated 28 Mar, 2024

Judiciary’s SOS

The ball is now in CJP Isa’s court, and he will feel pressure to take action.
Data protection
28 Mar, 2024

Data protection

WHAT do we want? Data protection laws. When do we want them? Immediately. Without delay, if we are to prevent ...
Selling humans
28 Mar, 2024

Selling humans

HUMAN traders feed off economic distress; they peddle promises of a better life to the impoverished who, mired in...
New terror wave
Updated 27 Mar, 2024

New terror wave

The time has come for decisive government action against militancy.
Development costs
27 Mar, 2024

Development costs

A HEFTY escalation of 30pc in the cost of ongoing federal development schemes is one of the many decisions where the...
Aitchison controversy
Updated 27 Mar, 2024

Aitchison controversy

It is hoped that higher authorities realise that politics and nepotism have no place in schools.