LAHORE, Aug 22: The PPP leaders condemned in the strongest terms misbehaviour of some treasury members with women opposition legislators in the National Assembly and the use of abusive language against Ms Benazir Bhutto on Friday, alleging that chaotic conditions were being created to find justification for the dissolution of assemblies.

At an impromptu news conference here, they said the ruling party would be held responsible if the system was packed.

PPP Punjab president Qasim Zia, central deputy information secretary Altaf Qureshi, provincial information secretary Nawid Chaudhry and Lahore president Mian Misbahur Rahman were prominent among the speakers.

They alleged that State Minister Heraj and Dr Sher Afgan had made “sexist” remarks and vulgar gestures, which were intolerable in a civilized society. The PPP avoided an uncivilized response because it wanted the system to continue, they added.

Altaf Qureshi said some of the ruling party leaders were hatching a conspiracy against the prime minister, and it was for this reason that tension was created at a time when he (Jamali) was out of the country.

The opposition legislators, according to Qasim Zia, had the constitutional right to protest against any undesirable act of the government. He said in case the government failed to take appropriate measures to avert recurrence of such incidents, the PPP would give a call to the masses to come on to the streets.

Nawid Chaudhry iterated that Gen Musharraf should quit his office immediately.

When a reporter pointed out that Rana Shaukat Mahmood had been accepted back in the party despite the fact that he had used much more filthy language against the PPP chairperson, Altaf Qureshi said Rana had already expressed regrets.