Opposition parties on Thursday formed an eight-member committee to devise a joint political strategy on various issues of national importance.
The committee will negotiate with the government on the issue of granting a second extension to the military courts which were set up in 2015 and given the powers to hold trials of civilians on terrorism charges. During a meeting on Thursday, the opposition parties decided that the committee will comprise three members each from Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and one member each from Awami National Party (ANP) and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F). According to reports, PML-N representatives in the body will be Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Rana Tanveer Hussain and Rana Sanallah; those from PPP will be Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, Khursheed Shah and Sherry Rehman; ANP will be represented by Ameer Haider Khan Hoti and JUI-F by Maulana Abdul Wasay.
Reportedly, the opposition would announce the names of the members on Friday and the Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M), which is currently a part of the ruling coalition, will also be given representation in the committee if it joins the opposition parties in their cause.
PML-N President and Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif had announced the decision of forming the committee while talking to the media after hosting a lunch for the opposition parties.
