Opposition sharpens joint strategy to counter bill

• Parliamentary parties to send only a few legislators to today’s sessions
• Govt, opposition turn to Fazl for support

ISLAMABAD: In a strategy to preempt any horse-trading attempt by the coalition government, the opposition in a joint meeting of parliamentary parties on Saturday decided to send only ‘selected’ members to the National Assembly and Senate so that the government may not be able to pressurise them or “falsely” use their names in favour of the proposed legislation.

Confidence of the parties was boosted after a “clearance” came from the Supreme Court that all those who did not submit Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) tickets to contest the Feb 8 general elections but later announced to join the party, will be considered PTI members.

While talking to Dawn, former National Assembly speaker Asad Qaiser said that a few leaders/legislators from different opposition parties held a meeting in parliament house to discuss the ongoing situation and decide about the future line of action.

Voting against party line

“We appreciated the clarification of the Supreme Court as it has clearly directed that the 41 members of the National Assembly (MNAs), who were being considered as independent candidates, are members of the PTI. Moreover, if they cast votes against the party line, their votes will not be counted and they will be de-seated,” he said.

He said that during the meeting, which was held in the lobby of parliament house, it was also discussed that just a few leaders of the opposition parties would attend the sessions of the National Assembly and Senate to foil any attempt by the government to pretend or falsely claim that those members were in government’s favour.

“Leaders such as me Mehmood Khan Achakzai and others will attend the sessions. Government does not enjoy two-thirds majority so it will not even be able to prove that two-thirds members are present or attending the meetings of the both houses,” he said.

Govt, opposition visit JUI-F chief

Interestingly, JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman became the most sought-after leader as the government amid the challenge to muster the support of required number of lawmakers twice approached him. Efforts to get his party’s backing began on Friday night when Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif visited him, followed by government representatives a day later.

Mr Qaiser told Dawn he wanted to meet the Maulana, but government representatives reached there earlier.

As soon as government representatives left the residence of JUI-F chief, the PTI delegation managed to meet Maulana Fazl and other JUI-F leaders just before midnight.

PTI chairman Gohar Ali Khan later told reporters he was optimistic about the outcome of the meeting. He said that the PTI delegation briefed JUI-F leaders over the proposed amendments.

Replying to a question, he said it was not opposition’s job but government’s responsibility to have the required strength in parliament to pass the bill. However, he said, it was strange that no one was aware of the ‘constitutional amendments’, wondering if that was the way to do legislation.

Asked about the meeting, SIC leader Sahibzad Hamid Raza said journalists could guess it by noticing the ‘smile’ on his face.

Published in Dawn, September 15th, 2024