ISLAMABAD, Feb 11: The combined opposition on Thursday filed an adjournment motion in the Senate against the recent decision of the cabinet to convert defence housing scheme (DHS) Islamabad into a full-fledge authority.

The motion has been submitted by Senators Farhatullah Babar and Rukhsana Zuberi of Pakistan People's Party Parliamentarians (PPP), Prof Ghafoor Ahmad of Mutahidda Majlis-i-Amal (MMA), Ms Sadia Abbasi and Sardar Mehtab Khan of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Asfandyar Wali of Awami National Party (ANP).

The movers of the motion raised questions about converting a defence establishment into commercial and real estate enterprises, Senator Farhatullah Babar told Dawn.

The adjournment motion said the decision of the cabinet raised serious questions of law and fundamental issues of propriety, which required that the normal business of the house should be suspended to discuss the same.

The notice identified the questions of law and issues of propriety that: "Whether a particular housing scheme can be given the status of a DHA, whether it is right and proper to continue converting professional defence forces into commercial and real estate enterprises, whether it is correct to use the suffix defence for the housing society and supersede the civic body, Capital Development Authority, created under the law and whether the continued expropriation of precious land and other economic resources belonging to the people by a few privileged should not be halted."

"We, therefore, beg to move that the normal business of the house should be suspended to discuss this issue," the notice said. The cabinet meeting on Thursday presided over by Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz granted the status of the DHA to the housing society on the pattern of similar authorities in Karachi and Lahore.

Simultaneously, the opposition members of the Senate standing committee on defence and defence production also gave notice to requisition a special meeting of the committee to discuss the issue.

The notice signed by Senators Farhatullah Babar, Rukhsana Zuberi and Sardar Mehtab Khan asks for convening a meeting of the committee to consider issues arising out of the February 10, 2005 decision of the cabinet.

The notice given under section 163 (4) of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Senate 1988 makes it mandatory for the chairman of the committee to call the meeting within two weeks.

In case the chairman fails to call the meeting in the stipulated time for any reason, the secretary of the committee is obliged to call the meeting on his own without reference to the chairman within 21 days of the notice, the Senate rules say.