The split in the opposition’s ranks came to the surface on Friday when the JUI-F, PPP-Sherpao and PML-Q Likeminded distanced themselves from the PML-N and did not protest during Finance Minister Abdul Hafeez Sheikh’s budget speech in the National Assembly.
The joint meeting of opposition parties in the chamber of Opposition Leader Nisar Ali Khan in the morning also failed to unite them on a common agenda. The meeting was attended by parliamentary leaders of the PML-N, JUI-F, Jamaat-e-Islami, PML-Q Likeminded, PkMAP and NP. JUI-F chief Fazlur Rehman said his party distanced itself from the PML-N’s protest due to its principled disagreement with PML-N’s style of protest.
Opposition Leader Nisar Ali Khan said the other opposition parties were in favour of staging a walkout but “the PML-N refused to budge from its stance of giving a tough time to the government.”
Split in Opp surfaces as ‘N’ protests alone
