March 24, 2008	Monday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 15, 1429

ISLAMABAD, March 23: Six Senate standing committees Saturday elected their chairman in a hasty exercise that many members saw as illegal, accusing the Senate Secretariat of convening the meetings with mala fide intent in violation of the rules.

Senators Abdul Ghaffar Qureshi, Mohammad Naseer Mengal, Rashid Ahmad, Anisa Zeb Tahirkheli, Abdul Razak Thahim and Mir Mohabat Khan Marri were elected unopposed as chairpersons of the Senate’s standing committees on cabinet secretariat, social welfare, states and frontier regions, industries and production, health, and local government and rural development, respectively.

Meeting of the Standing Committee on Commerce was also to take place for the same purpose, but the lack of quorum made it impossible.

The posts of chairmen were vacant for the last over one-and- a-half-year as the last PML-led government had decided to give these offices to the opposition, which had refused to accept chairmanship of these committees, saying that there was no important ministry among them.

Senators Dr Safdar Ali Abbasi, Saadia Abbasi, Kamran Murtaza, Rehmatullah Kakar, Latif Khan Khosa, Sahibzada Khalid Jan, Maulana Samiul Haq, Babar Awan and Maulana Rahat Hussain have submitted a privilege motion with the Senate secretariat, saying that these meetings had been convened with mala fide intent on the part of the Senate Secretariat as no adequate notice was provided to the members.

It was pointed out that the notice of less than 24 hours was in violation of Rule 176 read with Rule 3 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Senate, 1988, and against the general principle of natural justice.

The motion said some of the members of these committees brought to the notice of the presiding officer this gross violation of the rules, as these meetings, under the rules, are to be fixed by the Senate chairman.

They said the Senate secretary had acted arbitrarily in violation of the rules. They said the mala fide intent was evident from the fact that in late evening of March 20, at or around 8:30pm, the secretary along with his staff had the office of the Senate Secretariat opened for the purpose of issuing the notices. They further said the Senate Secretariat was opened on a public and religious holiday (Eid Miladun Nabi) on March 21 when members were informed through telephone that the meetings had been convened on March 22.

According to a press release issued by the secretariat, Senator Abdul Ghaffar Qureshi was proposed for chairmanship of the Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat by Senator Abdul Raziq and seconded by Senator Dr Mohammad Ali Brohi.

Senator Naseer Ahmad Mengal was proposed for chairmanship of the Standing Committee on Social Welfare by Shujaul Mulk and seconded by Mohammad Wali Badini.

Engineer Rashid Ahmad was proposed for chairmanship of the Standing Committee on States and Frontier Regions by Abdul Ghaffar Qureshi and seconded by Anisa Zeb Tahirkheli.

Senator Anisa Zeb Tahirkheli was proposed for chairmanship of the Standing Committee on Industries and Productions by Senator Mohammad Wali Badini and seconded by Senator Dilawar Abbas.

Senator Abdul Razzak Thahim was proposed for chairmanship of the Standing Committee on Health by Senator Dr Mohammad Ali Brohi and seconded by Senator Rehana Yahya Baloch.

Senator Mir Mohabat Khan Marri was proposed for chairmanship of the Standing Committee on Local Government by Senator Mohammad Wali Badini and seconded by Senator Abdul Raziq.

Three opposition senators — Sardar Mohammad Latif Khosa, Dr Safdar Ali and Rehamtullah Kakar — staged a walk out in protest from the meeting scheduled to elect chairman of the Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat against what they described as “illegal, hasty and against the rules procedure with mala fide intentions”.

They said the election was being held on a day between two holidays and many senators were away in connection with their domestic business. These should have been held after the election of the new prime minister, which is only a couple of days away.

Senators Enver Baig and Saadia Abbasi staged a walkout from the Senate Standing Committee on Social Welfare, which was scheduled to elect its chairman.

Both the senators termed the election proceedings as being illegal and in complete violation of the existing rules of business.

The Senate secretary, on the occasion, clarified that the election proceedings were conducted under rule 163 of the Rules of Business and he had the verbal instructions of Senate deputy chairman in this regard.

He said there was nothing illegal about these elections and the secretariat was expected to receive written orders in this connection any time soon.