Rabbani challenges Soomro’s chair

By Mohammad Imran

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan People’s Party Parliamentarians (PPPP) on Wednesday challenged Mohammadmian Soomro’s presiding over of the January 19 Senate session, saying he could not shoulder the double responsibility of acting president and Senate chairman.

Speaking on a point of order, PPPP Senator Raza Rabbani said Mr Soomro became the acting president after President Pervez Musharraf left for Turkey but Mr Soomro chaired the Senate session from 7:30pm to 9:00pm on Monday in violation of the rules.

Deputy Chairman Kahlilur Rehman said that Mr Rabbani’s point was valid but he could not pass judgment without hearing Mr Soomro’s point of view.

Leader of the house Wasim Sajjad requested Mr Rehman to delay his ruling until the Senate Secretariat and the Cabinet Division submitted their replies.

Senator Prof Khurshid Ahmed asked as to why the Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC) was not allowed to appoint civilians to the Inter Services Intelligence (ISI). Information Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed replied that the prime minister had exempted the ISI from recruitments through the FPSC.

Replying to a query, Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had asked the finance ministry to increase funds for Pakistan’s foreign missions.

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