Speaker of National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq said Friday that former president Asif Ali Zardari has assured his support for the Pakistan Protection Bill in the Upper House of Parliament.
Speaking to reporters, Sadiq said that Zardari, in his meeting with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, pledged that his party would support the bill.
The bill has already passed its initial stage towards becoming an Act, when it was passed by the National Assembly despite strong protest by the opposition lawmakers.
The ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) does not have simple majority in the Senate, where it needs support from the opposition parties for the bill’s passage.
To a question regarding talks with the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), the speaker replied: “The government is longing for the success of talks with the TTP. However, if talks fail, an operation always remains an option”.
