PPP supports Shahbaz as PAC chairman

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Tuesday supported Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif as Chairman Public Accounts Committee (PAC).

“The opposition leader in the National Assembly would be chairman of the Public Accounts Committee,” said the PPP senior leader Syed Khursheed Shah while talking to newsmen after meeting with Shahbaz Sharif at the Parliament House.

Shah said the meeting was basically for formulating a joint strategy for the mini-budget and finalising members for the Special Committee of the National Assembly to probe into allegations of rigging in the general Elections 2018.

“It was decided that the names of experienced opposition members would be given for the committee,” he said.

Asked whether the names had been proposed for the special committee, he said consultation was still going on.

“A meeting of parliamentary leaders is being held on Wednesday in which the names would be forwarded to the Speaker National Assembly,” he said. Asked about absence of ministers from the session and their lack of interest in the parliamentary proceedings, Shah said if this was the level of interest in early days then what would be the level in future.

“The prime minister had also made many claims but he should attend the session,” he said. Asked whether the PPP and PML-N were opting for seat adjustment in the by-elections, he replied in the affirmative. Asked if Nawaz Sharif had sought Asif Ali Zardari’s political cooperation, Shah said the opposition had to sit together and to formulate its strategy.