parties are set to give a tough time to the coalition government in the upcoming budget session, for which a strategy will be evolved in a meeting of parliamentary leaders of the PML-N, PML-Q Likeminded, PPP-Sherpao, JI, JUI-F, Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party and the National Party tomorrow (Monday). The meeting of opposition parliamentary parties is being held on a request by Opposition Leader Nisar Ali Khan, who invited parliamentary leaders of all opposition parties to sit together and devise a joint strategy against the government’s failure to implement the unanimous resolution passed by parliament in wake of the Abbottabad incident.
Nisar earlier contacted Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao, Senator Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri, Senator Hasil Bazenjo, Senator Abdul Rahim Mandokhel, Professor Khurshid Ahmed and Senator Salim Saifullah to invite them to the brainstorming session. A PML-N leader said the party leadership had decided to pressure the government to form an independent commission on the Abbottabad incident by taking along all opposition parties. He said the parties would try to bridge differences before the crucial budget session in order to give a tough time to the treasury.
Nisar has already said he would consult the parliamentary leaders of opposition parties on the prime minister’s recommended names for the constitution of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). Prof Khurshid Ahmed said the meeting would discuss the government’s failure to implement parliament’s resolution, which was a cause for concern for all political parties. A PML-N leader said party lawmakers had been directed by the central command to be prepared for giving a tough time to the PPP government in both houses of parliament.
“Instead of staging walkouts and observing boycotts of the sittings of the budget session, the lawmakers from opposition parties would go for inflammatory speeches and sloganeering to block the smooth running of the House,” he said. He said Opposition Leader Nisar Ali Khan had directed all PML-N MNAs to ensure their presence in the House, so that the government could be given a hard time with full force.
A source in the JUI-F said he doubted the participation of his party in the proposed meeting due to ongoing tussle between the PML-N and the JUI-F over the slot of the Senate opposition leader.
“Some party leaders suggest that the controversy pertaining to Senate opposition leader’s position could also be resolved in Monday’s meeting, where they believe other opposition parties like PkMAP, PPP-Sherpao, JI and National Party could take JUI-F’s side by asking the PML-N to withdraw it candidature for the slot,” he said.
Senator Talha Mehmood of the JUI-F said the coordination of opposition parties against the government’s policies was a need of the hour. “I do not know whether my party will attend the joint opposition meeting or not, but I personally consider it a welcome step by Nisar to gather the opposition parties on a single platform,” he added.
