ISLAMABAD: Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle in the Senate on Tuesday continued their protest against the alleged persistent excesses on Balochistan and staged a walkout to protest the Frontier Corps indiscriminate firing on a peaceful rally in Turbat.

Again a Senator from Balochistan, sitting on the opposition benches, Dr Abdul Malik said it was no use sitting in the house if their voice was not heard and action not taken against perpetrators, as majority of the senators walked out.

An opposition lawmaker Wali Badeni said he knew personally some FC men but was afraid of being harmed and would not disclose their identity on the Floor of the Senate. The Balochistan Assembly Speaker, he noted, was punished for doing so.

The government informed the House that Law Minister Farooq H Naek would spell out the strategy of how the deposed judges would be reinstated without any minus-one or plus formula.

Advisor on Interior Rehman Malik dubbed the Turbat incident as very unfortunate and agreed with the Senators that without prior permission from a Magistrate, FC had no right to resort to firing.

He assured the House that FIR would be filed on the incidents of Turbat and Mach and action would be taken against those found responsible. "According to our initial information, FC has been found involved in firing," he conceded.

A committee, with representation from ISI, IB, FIA and the provincial government, he added, had been formed to investigate these incidents. A report will be furnished within four days. Fateha was offered for late Nawab Akbar Bugti and those killed in the military operation in the province, as the House met 47 minutes behind the scheduled time.

On a point of order, Dr Malik of the Balochistan National Party complained that FC resorted to firing at Turbat Chowk, killing at least four innocent people, including a journalist. He called for an inquiry into the FC's firing and filing of an FIR against it.

Dr. Ismail Buledi of JUI-Fazl said that they had talked to the DPO and DCO prior to taking out a rally on Monday in Turbat and were given permission but despite that the FC wanted the imposition of section 144.

"The FC men resorted to indiscriminate shelling and firing and killed some people, including a 25-year-old youth from Buleda. It appears the civil administration is helpless," he charged. Leader of the House Mian Raza Rabbani, who replied to most of the points of orders by the treasury as well as opposition Senators assured the House that the judiciary would be restored to its November 02, 2007 position soon without any minus-one or plus formula.

"I understand that the judges will be reinstated through an executive order, supported by a parliamentary resolution. This is the only way of judges' reinstatement," he maintained. He also hoped that no parliament would go for witch-hunt of judges, once a debate started in the parliament.

He castigated Musharraf for sending 60 plus judges home in one go before demanding of the chief justice to resign.The ruling coalition, he pointed out, believed that the November 02 measure taken by an army chief was illegal and unconstitutional.

Earlier, PML-Q lawmaker Dr. Khalid Ranjha complained that till today, the government had not taken the parliament as well as the nation into confidence about its position on the reinstatement of judges.

Still, he noted, there was confusion, how the judges would be restored, if the government really wanted to honour its commitment to the nation. Prof Khurshid Ahmad of the independent group of Senators, expressed concern over the plight of Kashmiris, alleging the ruling coalition in Pakistan, appeared to be dancing to the tune of local and foreign powers. He talked about the Kashmiris' struggle and how Indian forces had unleashed a fresh wave of aggression on Kashmiris, taking to streets for their right to self-determination. The senator said: "We have failed to win hearts of Kashmiris". He proposed that the government should express solidarity with them.

He also referred to the Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and the Foreign Office spokesman's detailed reaction to the bloody events and the martyrdom of APHC leader Sheikh Abdul Aziz.

Rabbani said the government was for the solution of Kashmir issue as per the Kashmiris' aspirations and wanted the world community to take notice of Indian forces' atrocities in held Kashmir.

PML-Q lawmaker Jamal Leghari revealed that no official function was organized across Balochistan to mark the Independence Day of Pakistan, whereas on August 15, which is the independence day of India, chief minister of the province announced a public holiday. "Has the federal government taken notice of it? Why is it silent on the issue," he maintained. Rabbani said that he would apprise the House of factual position after investigating the matter.