ISLAMABAD, Nov 9: The Pakistan People's Party (PPP) has asked for a parliamentary debate on allotment of plots under different quotas in the country.

According to a press release issued by the PPP media cell, a motion moved in the Senate by Farhatullah Babar says: "The House may discuss the policy with regard to the allotment of residential and agricultural plots under different quotas to civilians and military officers in different parts of the country."

Through a question, the PPP senator has also asked whether there was special quota for "hardship cases" for allotment of plots and how and who was categorized as a "hardship case".

The ministry of housing and works has also been asked to give the names and addresses of those who have been allotted plots under the quota reserved for "hard hardship cases."

On December 24, 2003, in reply to a question by Senator Muhammad Aslam Buledi about allotment of plots under the disabled quota, minister Syed Safwanullah submitted a list of 36 people whom plots had been allotted against the quota reserved for disabled persons in Sector G-13 in Islamabad. The minister had also claimed that no irregularity had surfaced in these allotments.

The list, however, showed that all the allottees were government employees serving in different departments.

Pursuing the matter, the PPP moved another question as to who was considered as "disabled' under this quota.

The reply given on September 24 said three categories - major disability, partial disability and minor disability - were eligible for allotment under the quota.

The diseases covering these categories ranged from loss of two or more limbs, total loss of eyesight, lunacy, advanced cases of incurable diseases, loss of vision of one eye and loss of all toes of one or both feet.

It was also stated that a committee headed by a joint secretary had been constituted for scrutinizing applications for allotment. The minister once again denied any wrongdoing in such allotments.

The PPP now has asked the minister to give details of plots allotted under the "disabled quota" and the nature of disability of each allotee and also the allotments made under the quota for the so-called hardship cases.