QUETTA, Sept 20: The PML, which is a major coalition partner in the Balochistan government, suffered a setback on Monday after the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal refused to endorse its resolution in the Balochistan Assembly, requesting President Pervez Musharraf to retain the office of the president as well as that of the chief of the army staff.

Speaker Jamal Shah Kakar presided over the special session of the assembly. The only agenda of the day's proceedings was the resolution. Chief Minister Jam Yousuf and his colleagues failed to muster support of the MMA for the passage of the resolution, forcing the mover to withdraw it.

Chief Minister Jam Yousuf was reluctant to annoy the MMA lawmakers and agreed with the suggestion that the PML and the BNP-A should be allowed to withdraw the resolution so that differences between them over the issue did not affect smooth functioning of the coalition government.

Finance Minister Syed Ehsan Shah, who belongs to the Balochistan National Party-Awami, informed the chair that they wanted to defer the resolution. The speaker asked the members that those in favour of withdrawal of the resolution should raise their hands. A total of 27 lawmakers from the PML and the BNP-A supported the withdrawal.

Fifty-one members were present at that time in the 65-member house and 24 members of the MMA, Ponam and the ARD stayed quiet during the withdrawal process. Opposition members later described the withdrawal of the resolution as a victory of democratic forces against the military dictatorship in its efforts to restore the constitutional rule and supremacy of parliament.

Commenting on the withdrawal of the resolution, MMA members stated that the chief minister and members of the PML and the BNP-Awami should not have presented the resolution, knowing that the MMA would neither support it, nor would it remain silent keeping in view the policy of the central leadership of the alliance.

Jaffar Khan Mandokhel, provincial general secretary of the PML, said that he had not been consulted about the tabling of the resolution. Earlier, parliamentary leader of the Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party Abdur Rahim Ziaratwal moved an adjournment motion alleging that the management of the PTCL had not regularized the services of 511 employees of the PTCL who belonged to Balochistan.

He claimed that the federal government, on the directives of former prime minister Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, regularized the services of 7,153 employees of the PTCL who belonged to other provinces, adding that the affected employees had been on a token hunger-strike for last five days in Quetta demanding regularization of services.

The speaker ruled that this motion should be turned into a resolution and tabled in the next regular session of the assembly. The session was later adjourned sine die.

MPs INVITED: A delegation of 24 members, including the provincial assemblies speakers, has been scheduled to leave for the United States on Sept 22, for a two-week visit.