Senate Opp wants PM’s explanation on uniform

By Zulfiqar Ghuman

ISLAMABAD: The opposition created uproar in the Senate by demanding that the prime minister explain his position on the president’s uniform on Saturday.

They also staged a token walkout to register their protest. Almost all opposition senators stood up when Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz entered the house. They began urging the chair to ask the prime minister to clarify a statement in which he called a uniformed president in the country’s best interest.

The Senate chairman tried to pacify the enraged opposition senators, but they refused to listen. When the chair refused to entertain their demand, the opposition staged a token walkout.

Senator Safdar Abbasi was the most vocal voice from the treasury benches. He accused the prime minister of violating the Constitution by asking President Pervez Musharraf to remain army chief beyond December 31.

“The prime minister should clarify his position on the uniform issue,” he said.

Raza Rabbani, a Pakistan People’s Party Parliamentarians leader, expressed regret about the treasury’s attitude and the delay in Senate procedures.

Mr Aziz, while addressing the MPML and allied parties’ parliamentary party meeting, said that the Senate was responsible for looking after the interests of all the federating units.

Leader of the House in the Senate Wasim Sajjad briefed the senators on the legislative business before the house. Foreign Minister Khurshid Kasuri also briefed the meeting on the nuclear control bill. He said Pakistan was a responsible nuclear state that was capable of fulfilling its obligations.

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