ISLAMABAD, June 2: The government came under fire in Senate on Friday with opposition and treasury lawmakers criticising the sale of the Karachi Electric Supply Corporation to foreigners, and thereby putting the future of the Sindh capital as an industrial city at stake.

The proceedings, which started about one and a half hour late were marred by pandemonium, exchange of harsh words between treasury and opposition lawmakers and a token walkout in protest against the privatisation of Pakistan Steel Mills and the KESC.

The opposition gave a tough time to the government, which escaped a certain defeat on a vote-count when it came to tabling a motion on referring the issue of loadshedding and the handing over of the KESC to the house standing committee. The government fall far behind in the number of votes as the attendance of its supporters after the question hour was minimal.

Mian Raza Rabbani of the People’s Party Parliamentarians demanded that Chairman Dr Khalid Ranjha should refer the issue of massive loadshedding in Karachi and the KESC’s failure to restore regular electricity supply to people to the house standing committee.

The government side led by leader of the house Wasim Sajjad resisted the plea on the ground that the matter could be taken by the house committee chairman at his own and there was no need to refer it.

When Mr Rabbani threatened to put the motion before the house for a vote, Mr Sajjad said it was for the chair to allow such a motion or not and certainly he would not allow it.

This led commotion, uproar and shouting, as many opposition and treasury members rose to match each other’s loud arguments.

Mr Rabbani said the government was under the false impression that the new KESC management would invest $400 million on rehabilitation of the dilapidated transmission system in Karachi as it had spent not a single penny.

He said the people of Karachi had been made hostage to the foreign company as a result of which the country’s exports were destined to be worst affected.

He alleged that under an international conspiracy the country’s vital assets were being sold to foreigners, putting its security at risk.

He said the country was now being pushed to purchase electricity from US firms in Central Asian states.

Mr Sajjad assured the house that things would change as Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz had ordered the KESC to stop unbridled loadshedding and to construct a thermal power station immediately.

The chairman had to twice order expunging of remarks against the water and power minister whom Mr Rabbani accused of leaving the country on an excursion journey while the people were suffering at the hands of the Water and Power Development Authority and the KESC.

The voice of Dr Safdar Abbasi of the PPP could be heard all over even without mike.

Tahir Ali Mashadi and Abbas Kumaili of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement supported the opposition’s demand of referring the matter to the house committee.

Mr Mashadi asked the government to throw out the foreign firm saying that after taking over the KESC it had handed over the organisation to contractors. It was time for decision and action as the people of Karachi were suffering, he said.

He said the consumers should not pay electricity bills for two months to punish those who had made them suffer.

Jamal Leghari of the Pakistan Muslim League asked the chair to accept the opposition’s unanimous demand of referring the issue to the house committee.

Mr Kumaili said the issue pertained to the people of Karachi who ought to be rid of the incompetence of the foreign KESC management.

Abdur Rahim Mandokhel, while supporting referring of the issue to the house committee, argued that all matters, including the privatisation of sensitive assets, must be referred to the Council of Common Interests.

The matter was wound up on a ruling by chair that the government would come up with a policy statement on the issue on Monday before presentation of the budget. The house rose till 6pm on Monday.

Saadia Abbasi of the PML (Nawaz) demanded that the government should give a briefing on the functioning of the Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority with regard to the October 8 earthquake.

She said the house must know as to how much funds were received and how much more were needed to accomplish the task of reconstruction and rehabilitation of the affected people.

Earlier, the house decided to run on points of order instead of taking up debate on two adjournment motions moved by Prof Khurshid and by Mr Rabbani and others.

Chairman of the house standing committee on foreign affairs, Mushahid Hussain, tabled two reports and the parliamentary affairs minister two ordinances in the house at the start of the proceedings.