ISLAMABAD, July 13: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) has asked the government to give chairmanship of two more standing committees of the National Assembly to the party.

A demand to this effect was made at a meeting between Prime Minister Chaudhry Shujaat Husain and a three-member Muttahida delegation which called on him here on Tuesday. Muttahida's parliamentary leader Dr Farooq Sattar led the delegation.

Dr Sattar, who had specially flown to Islamabad from Karachi to attend the meeting, later told Dawn that the prime minister assured the Muttahida that the government would consider its demand.

The Muttahida leader claimed that at the time of government formation it had been agreed that the Muttahida would get the chairmanship of four standing committees, including the Public Accounts Committee (PAC).

However, he said, later the ruling party kept the PAC chairmanship with itself on which the Muttahida registered its protest by boycotting the PAC's first meeting. He said so far the Muttahida had only been given the chairmanship of the standing committee on commerce, while the party had also demanded chairmanship of committees on foreign relations and media.

Dr Sattar said initially the prime minister had agreed to give the chairmanship of standing committee on foreign relations to the Muttahida but was reluctant to make any commitment regarding the media committee.

But when the party made it clear that it would refuse the chairmanship of foreign relations committee in protest, the prime minister promised that the chairmanship of the media committee would be handed over to it.

The second issue, he said, was about the restoration of powers of the Muttahida ministers. Dr Sattar said the prime minister had also made a commitment that the issue would be resolved soon and powers of the federal ministers would be restored.

When asked whether the three-month deadline set by the Muttahida was still valid, he said: "This matter relates to the party's coordination committee and I cannot comment on it."

Dr Sattar said the prime minister had agreed that regular meetings should be held among the coalition partners. He said another meeting of the Muttahida delegation would be held with the prime minister within a week.

Federal Minister for Housing Syed Safwanullah and Minister for Communications Babar Khan Ghouri were the other two members of the team. Pakistan Muslim League (PML) secretary-general Mushahid Hussain and party's chief whip Sardar Nasrullah Dareshak also attended the meeting.

Also on Tuesday, Senator Maulana Samiul Haq and his son MNA Maulana Hamidul Haq of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (JUI-S) called on the prime minister. Maulana Hamidul Haq briefed the prime minister on development schemes being carried out in his constituency in Nowshera.

The MNA sought construction of two bridges over River Kabul. He also asked the prime minister to declare Nowshera a calamity-hit area. Finance Minister Shaukat Aziz was also present in the meeting.

Later, a delegation of MPAs from Punjab and the NWFP called on the prime minister. MPAs from Punjab were Rana Qasim Noon, Rashid Bhatti, Ijaz Sehole and Malik Ahmed Khan. MPAs from the NWFP were Qalandar Khan Lodhi and Nisar Safdar Khan. The MPAs reposed full confidence in the leadership of Chaudhry Shujaat, says an official handout.

Mr Hussain promised to provide adequate funds to the elected representatives irrespective of their party affiliation. He promised that due importance would be given to the development schemes identified by the elected representatives for their areas.