ISLAMABAD, Feb 10: Opposition members on Friday submitted an adjournment motion to the National Assembly Secretariat, seeking a discussion on the “conduct” of Gen Pervez Musharraf and the alleged violation of the Constitution by him by presiding over a meeting of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League (PML).

According to Parliamentary Secretary of the Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy (ARD) Izhar Amrohvi, the adjournment motion has been signed by 15 opposition members and submitted under Rule 92 of the Rules and Procedure and Conduct of Business in the National Assembly 1992.

Talking to Dawn at the Parliament House, Mr Amrohvi said it was reported in all the national newspapers as well as on all electronic media channels that Gen Pervez Musharraf had presided over a meeting of the ruling PML on February 4, in which the names of the candidates for the forthcoming Senate poll were finalized.

Mr Amrohvi said being chief of the army staff, Gen Musharraf could not take part in political activities, let alone presiding over the meeting of a political party. He alleged that Gen Musharraf had committed a serious offence as he had openly violated the Constitution and the government conduct rules that barred a government servant from taking part in political activities.

He said the chief of the army staff had not been given any exemption under Article 260 of the Constitution which had clearly stated the definition of “service of Pakistan”.

The adjournment motion, a copy of which is available with Dawn, states: “Recently a senior army officer presided over a meeting of a political party at Army House which is absolutely against the terms, conditions and conduct of a government servant. It is a matter of urgent public importance of recent occurrence and relates to one definite issue which has not been exempted under Article 260 of the Constitution of Pakistan. This violation of law/rule has created a grave concern amongst the general public and created a number of doubts in the mind of countrymen which needs discussion on the floor of the house adjourning the business of the National Assembly.”

The motion has been signed by Makhdoom Amin Fahim, Raja Pervez Ashraf, Sherry Rehman, Chaudhry Aitzaz Ahsan, Mir Hazar Khan Bijarani, Ghulam Murtaza Satti, Nawab Yusuf Talpur, Nayyar Hussain Bokhari, Chaudhry Manzoor Ahmed, Qamaruz Zaman Kaira, and others.