ISLAMABAD, Feb 16: Opposition leader in the Senate Mian Raza Rabbani called on ARD President Makhdoom Javed Hashmi and former National Assembly speaker Syed Yousuf Raza Gillani in Adiyala Jail, a source said here on Wednesday.

The source said Mr Rabbani's meeting with the jailed opposition leaders took place two days ago but it was kept secret for "unknown reasons."

He said this was the first visit by any prominent leader of the People's Party Parliamentarians (PPP) to Adiyala jail to meet Mr Hashmi, who had been behind bars under treason charges since October 2003. He said Mr Rabbani had gone to the jail to thank Mr Hashmi for his party's support in the Senate in making him the opposition leader.

The source said there were few important and leading members of the PML-N, who had never visited their jailed leader in the past 16 months. When contacted, Mr Rabbani said he had gone to meet Mr Hashmi and Mr Gillani considering it as his duty, particularly after becoming the opposition leader.

When asked as to why the meeting was kept secret and press was not informed about it, the PPP senator said he did not want to give an impression to Mr Hashmi and Mr Gillani that he had come to see them only to get some political advantage.