LAHORE, Jan 31: The Punjab Assembly privileges committee issued a warning to four Islamabad police officials through the federal interior secretary for not appearing before it.

The committee headed by Malik Nazar Farid Khokhar had summoned the Islamabad IG and the SSP, DSP and inspector on two identical privilege motions submitted by PPP MPAs Samiullah Khan, Dr Asad Moazzam, Azma Bokhari, Farzana Raja and Faiza Malik.

The officials, through the interior ministry, have been asked to join proceedings of the committee on next meeting and explain for their non-compliance of the earlier directions otherwise legal action will be initiated against them.

Appearing before the committee on Tuesday, PPP MPA Samiullah Khan criticized the Sindh chief minister for "fanning provincialism". He drew the attention of the body towards Arbab Rahim's statement two days after Mr Zardari was sent to Karachi from Islamabad airport on Dec 21.

The CM had stated that they had given a free hand to Mr Zardari in Karachi and interior Sindh but the rulers of Punjab baton-charged him in Rawalpindi. Mr Khan feared that the statement might cause hatred against Punjab among Sindhis, though only "unwise" rulers were involved in the Rawalpindi incident.

But the Sindh's chief executive tried to give a false colour to the happening, he regretted, arguing that his motion held a special importance in that the elements who had played the game at the airport could be exposed.

Meanwhile, it is learnt that the committee was informed through a fax message that DSP Salim was on duty at the Supreme Court while Inspector Iftikhar was not around the airport as alleged by the movers in their motions.

The committee was, however, of the opinion that even in this case the officials should have appeared before it and sending a fax message instead was not an appropriate step.