Addressing a press conference at the People's Secretariat here, Babar Awan said, "after the martial law of General Zia who dissolved the Senate, this is a very serious attack on the country's democratic process".

He said that this was the first time in the history of country when unfortunately a democratically elected representative demanded to dissolve a constitutional institution which was a symbol of Federation.

This is the only unit in which representatives are elected on the equality basis from all provinces of the country, he added. "If this assertion is false, the Punjab Government should shun the turn-coats and a reference under Article 6 of the Constitution should be moved by the Speaker of Punjab Assembly against the person who floated this idea," Babar said, adding that this idea was an attack on smaller provincial units.