ISLAMABAD – A raucous National Assembly session awaits Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani and Petroleum Minister Naveed Qamar today (Monday), as the opposition, as well as the government’s coalition partners, are set to give them a tough time over the recent POL price hike.
Sources in the PML-N, PML-Q, MQM and JUI-F told Pakistan Today that these parties might also stage token walkouts from the House to register their protest over the government’s decision, which has sparked countrywide demonstrations.
Talking to Pakistan Today, PML-Q parliamentary leader in the National Assembly, Faisal Saleh Hayat, said his party would raise the issue of hike in petroleum prices forcefully. Laiq Muhammad Khan of the JUI-F said his party would protest in the House and could also stage a walkout to demand a reversal of the price hike decision.
“We will use all means in and outside parliament to pressurise the government to reverse its decision,” he added. The PML-N’s central command has asked its lawmakers to ensure their presence in the House on Monday so that a protest could be lodged appropriately. The PML-N has also summoned its parliamentary party meeting at the Parliament House in the afternoon to chalk out a strategy in this regard.
“The PML-N will devise a strategy on how to force the government to reverse its decision in the meeting, which will be chaired by Nisar Ali Khan,” said Sheikh Aftab Ahmad, PML-N’s chief whip in the National Assembly. PML-N’s Khurram Dastgir said the party’s command had instructed all members to be prepared for a strong protest in parliament.
A source in the MQM said apart from raising an uproar in the House, the party would stage a token walkout in protest. Abdul Rashid Godil of the MQM said, “Everyone will watch MQM’s protest in the House.” Although the Awami National Party has submitted an adjournment motion in the Senate on POL price increase, it is unlikely to walkout from the assembly.
ANP’s Pervez Khan said his party’s first commitment was with the people, therefore, “despite our commitment with the PPP, we will exert pressure on the government to reverse its decision”.
