ISLAMABAD, Jan 13: The newly-formed opposition group in the Senate, Democratic Alliance, has decided to formally inform the chairman to get the seats of its members separated from those of the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA).

ARD parliamentary secretary Izhar Amrohvi told Dawn that the decision was taken at a meeting of the members of the Democratic Alliance held at the chamber of the opposition leader before the start of the Senate session on Tuesday.

The meeting was presided over by PPP parliamentary leaderSenator Mian Raza Rabbani. Mr Amrohvi said the seven-party alliance comprised 22 members. Giving break-up, he said besides 11 senators from the PPP, there were four members from the PML-N, two each from the Pukhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party and the Awami National Party and one each from the Jamhoori Watan Party, the Balochistan National Movement and the Balochistan National Party (Mengal) in the alliance.

He said being the only opposition group in the Upper House, the Democratic Alliance would also ask the Senate chairman to appoint Mr Rabbani as the opposition leader.

Mr Amrohvi said that in the meeting it had been decided that the opposition would not boycott the proceedings of the House and would give a tough time to the government on the floor of the House. The opposition group would also take part in the legislation business, he added.