ISLAMABAD, July 23: The opposition senators on Friday criticized the government for 'political victimization' in the country and asked it to clarify its position on the issue of sending troops to Iraq.

Speaking on points of order, many senators condemned the government for allegedly disallowing opposition parties to carry out political activities in the country, particularly in Sindh and Balochistan.

Raza Mohammad Raza of the Pukhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PMAP) said his party had planned to hold a protest demonstration in Quetta on Thursday against the poor law and order situation. However, he added, the provincial government sabotaged the plan by deploying a large contingent of the Frontier Constabulary at the venue. "There was a curfew-like situation in Quetta," he said.

The senator condemned the Balochistan government for its failure to maintain the law and order situation. On one hand, he said, robbers and dacoits had been allowed to roam freely, on the other political parties did not have the right to even raise voice against it.

People's Party Parliamentarians (PPP) Senator Raza Rabbani criticized the government for 'victimizing' the opposition parties in Sindh. He claimed that police had arrested about 500 party activists in Karachi on Thursday when they were gathering to observe the chehlum of Munawar Suharwardy who was shot dead. He said the ruling party alone was allowed to hold political gatherings in the country.

Rehmatullah Kakar of the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal, whose party is part of the coalition government in Balochistan, rose to say that the provincial government should not be blamed for the poor law and order situation. Under the Police Order 2002, he pointed out, the police were answerable to the federal government while maintaining law and order was the district government's responsibility.

The statement angered Mr Raza of the PMAP. Having been disallowed by Chairman Mohammedmian Soomro to give a reply to the MMA senator, Mr Raza shouted without his mike on that the MMA people were 'promoting a bribery system' in the province.

Sanaullah Baloch of the Balochistan National Party expressed concern over human rights 'violations' in the province. He informed the house that a recent report of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan had mentioned "over-presence of military in the province". He further said that according to the report the people of Balochistan had not been taken into confidence before mega-projects were launched in the province.

Mr Baloch warned that the centre should take notice of the 'grave' situation in Balochistan before it went out of control and became the focus of discussion at the United Nations or other international fora.

Referring to the Iraq situation, MMA's Prof Ghafoor Ahmed said UN Secretary- General Kofi Annan had given a statement which showed that Pakistan had agreed to send its troops to the violence-torn country.

He said there was no need to send troops to Iraq even if it was requested by the new interim government in Baghdad. Another MMA senator, Maulana Samiul Haq said it seemed the government had already decided to send troops to Iraq.

RESOLUTIONS: Earlier, the Senate unanimously passed two resolutions about a special committee of parliament on Kashmir and the membership of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association. Both resolutions were moved by the Leader of the House, Wasim Sajjad.