A roundtable conference on the important issue of relations between the federation and provinces was organized on March 21. Held in the backdrop of the tense situation in Balochistan, the conference elicited quite great interest in the relevant circles. Reflecting an array of views, the participants included representatives of political parties, constitutional experts, and scholars: Opposition leader in the Senate Mian Raza Rabbani of the PPPP, Dr. Farooq Sattar of MQM, Maulana Muhammad Khan Shirani of MMA, senior lawyers Dr. Farooq Hasan and Mr. Akram Shaikh. PML Secretary General Mushahid Hussain Syed, and PML-N Chairman Raja Zafar-ul Haq were also invited but they could not come. Senator Saadia Abbasi of PML-N, however, participated in the program. ANP President Mr. Asfandyar Wali and BNP's Senator Sanaullah Baloch could not come for being out of Islamabad. IPS Chairman Senator Prof. Khurshid Ahmad presided over the session.
IPS Chairman Prof. Khurshid Ahmad called for all democratic forces to come together, identify the common ground and struggle for the strengthening of democracy in the country. He also underscored the importance of lawyers' role in this regard.
IPS Chairman Prof. Khurshid Ahmad called for all democratic forces to come together, identify the common ground and struggle for the strengthening of democracy in the country. He also underscored the importance of lawyers' role in this regard.
