A list of 49 lawmakers caught during an army-backed operation across the country against power theft recently, was submitted in the upper house (senate), yesterday by water and power minister Gohar Ayub Khan.

To the astonishment of the treasury benches, majority of the legislators in the list belonged to Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League (PML), including two cabinet ministers and deputy speaker of the lower house (national assembly).In a swift reaction, the main opposition Pakistan People's Party (PPP) demanded prosecution of the 49 sitting and former lawmakers whom the government has put on the list of power pilferers.

``They have brought shame to the country,'' the PPP of former premier Benazir Bhutto said in a statement today calling for their immediate dismissal.

Thepilferers have been asked to pay outstanding dues and fines amounting to more than 280,000 dollars, Gohar Ayub Khan told the senate.

Water and power development authority (WAPDA) has already filed cases against interior minister Choudhury Shujaat Hussain, former minister for population welfare Abida Hussain and national assembly deputy speaker Choudhury Jaffar Iqbal, Khan informed the house.

Abida Hussain has already resigned from the Cabinet and filed an appeal in a court challenging the allegations against her.

The list of power pilferers also include some senior members from opposition parties like Pir Mazharul Haq of Pakistan People's Party and former minister Azam Khan Hoti of Awami National Party.