ISLAMABAD, May 17: The opposition in the National Assembly on Tuesday took a serious notice of President Gen Pervez Musharraf presiding over a meeting of leaders of the ruling party and described it as a direct interference in politics by the president-in-uniform. The opposition members also termed it a clear violation of democratic, parliamentary and constitutional norms and walked out when the speaker dismissed their point of order.

The house also witnessed a prompt action by Speaker Chaudhry Amir Hussain when he took over the chair in haste from treasury’s Mian Riaz Pirzada when the latter refused to disallow a lawmaker from criticizing the army-led rule.

The situation arose when PPP’s Naheed Khan in her hard-hitting speech during a debate on police action against a marathon in Lahore accused generals of meddling in politics and using politicians for their purpose.

She also strongly criticized a statement of Gen Musharraf that Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif would have no role in the forthcoming elections. She asked Gen Musharraf to take over the PML leadership instead of meddling in its affairs from outside.

MQM’s Kunwar Khalid Yunous, on a point of order, objected to the PPP lawmaker’s speech and requested the chair to stop her from criticizing the president. He later walked out in protest against the chair’s attitude.

Ignoring the criticism by the treasury benches, Mr Pirzada said: “How the country will get rid of martial law if you stop speakers from giving vent to their resentment against the perpetrators of army rule.”

Mehnaz Rafi and Gul-i-Farkhanda from the treasury also joined the MQM lawmaker in the protest walkout.

Speaker Chaudhry Amir Hussain immediately emerged from his chamber to relieve Mr Pirzada.

The speaker later said that he would re-examine some remarks targeted against the army and generals and would decide whether they needed to be expunged.

When the house resumed proceedings, Shah Mahmood Qureshi of the People’s Party Parliamentarians said on a point of order that chairing a meeting of a political party by a uniformed president was tantamount to violation of the constitution, democracy and the parliamentary system.

Deputy Speaker Sardar Yaqub Khan, who was presiding over the sitting, disagreed and said it did not qualify to be a point of order and refused to allow other ARD members who wanted to take part in the discussion.

The ARD lawmakers staged a walk-out in protest against the deputy speaker’s decision.

MMA’s Liaquat Baloch on a point of order endorsed the point of view expressed by the PPP member.

When disallowed by the chair to speak further on the subject, the MMA also walked out, leaving only about three to four dozen treasury members in the house.

The house also witnessed a spirited debate on the issue of mixed marathon and police action against women protesters in Lahore.

The ARD argued in favour of the mixed marathon, the MMA lawmakers opposed it, while the government side preferred to play safe and at the end declared that the issue did not qualify to be taken up as an adjournment motion.

PPP’s Aitzaz Ahsan described the mixed marathon as within the norms of the country’s tradition, stating that when men and women could sit together in mixed gatherings, in markets, offices, then why could they not run together with women properly dressed.

He ridiculed the ‘clergy’ for showing scant respect to women. He also criticized the government which, he said, backtracked after announcing that such marathons would be held all over the country.

Bilquis Saif of the MMA claimed that the real issue facing the country was poverty and backwardness and the handful of women who wanted to run along with men did not represent the majority of women.