ISLAMABAD, Feb 18: Senators belonging to Balochistan on Wednesday gave a tough time to Treasury Benches when Federal Minister for Communications Ahmed Ali failed to satisfy them while replying to various questions related to development activities in the province.

At one stage, the opposition senators, including those of the ARD and the MMA, staged a token walkout to protest against remarks made by the minister about the people of Balochistan. Later, the minister apologized to the opposition senators, saying he felt sorry if his remarks had hurt their sentiments.

Though the Treasury members from Balochistan did not participate in the Opposition's walkout, they also criticized the minister for not giving satisfactory replies to the questions.

Earlier, the minister invited the wrath of the senators when he stated that no official from the Balochistan province was working in Grade-17 and above in his ministry as the officers had been selected an an open merit policy.

He was responding to a supplementary question raised by Mr Sanaullah Baloch in which he had asked why there was not a single man from Balochistan in the list of 36 officials working in the ministry on Grade-17 and above posts.

As the minister made the statement, all senators belonging to Balochistan stood up and protested against the minister's remarks. "We reject your merit policy," said Mr Baloch.

He said Islamabad was capturing all resources of the provinces and the Balochistan people were being denied even their basic rights. He said there was no dearth of intelligent and educated people in his province. Ismail Buledi said the minister had breached the privilege of senators by his remarks that no one from the province deserved to get higher posts in ministries. A few members from the Treasury benches also joined the Opposition's protest.

"It seems that either the ministry people are misguiding the minister or he himself is incapable for the post," said one of the Opposition senators. The Opposition senators refused to listen to Senator Javed Ashraf Qazi, when he intervened to defend the minister, saying that he also had the knowledge on the issues as he was a former minister for communication.

However, Senate Chairman Mohammadmian Soomro allowed him to speak and snubbed the opposition members. "You will have to listen to Mr Qazi as I have already given the floor to him being the chairman," Mr Soomro said angrily.

There was also a verbal clash between ANP Senator Asfandyar Wali and ruling member Pari Gul Agha when the former presented some points in support of the senators from Balochistan.