PML-N to devise strategy on PTI response today

ISLAMABAD: The reaction of the PTI to the verdict of the judicial commission for the May 2013 polls has irked the government that initially decided to deal with its defeated opponent politely.
A comprehensive strategy would be drawn up today (Monday) in a high echelon meeting at the PM House that would be chaired by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and stalwarts like federal ministers Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, Senator Muhammad Ishaq Dar, Professor Ahsan Iqbal, Senator Pervaiz Rashid, Anusha Rehman Khan, Asif Saeed Kirmani, Irfan Siddiqui, Sheikh Aftab Ahmad, Senator Zafarul Haq, Senator Iqbal Zafar Jhagra, Senator Mushahidullah Khan, Rana Tanveer Hussain, Senator Sartaj Aziz and Syed Tariq Fatemi will be in attendance.
The government is of the view that the memorandum of understanding (MoU) that paved the way for terms of reference (TOR) and establishment of the judicial commission provides that the government would resign and go for fresh elections in case the allegations of the PTI are proved and the PTI would withdraw its allegations if the commission declares that no organised rigging was proved in the polls. The MoU was inked by the top leaders of both the parties in the presence of national and international media. The meeting will also decide about laying the report of the commission in the House as the government hasn’t made up its mind to bring the verdict of the commission before the lower House of the Parliament so far. The National Assembly sitting that is commencing today (Monday) would be first session of the House since the issuance of the report of the commission. It would continue for about three weeks.
Speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq has arrived Islamabad after visiting Europe including United Kingdom. He will chair the sitting of the House and also head the meeting of the House Business Committee before start of the session today. The meeting of the Prime Minister House would also discuss the two private resolutions asking for de-seating members of the National Assembly belonging to the PTI including Imran Khan since they stayed away from the House for more than 40 consecutive days without prior intimation to the House. The resolutions have been filed by the members of the JUI of Maulana Fazlur Rehman and the MQM. They would come up for deliberation tomorrow (Tuesday). The PTI has decided to attend the National Assembly sitting but it isn’t certain that Imran Khan would be attending it or not. He will turn up in the Parliament House to chair the meeting of his Parliamentary Group in the Committee Room No 4. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will likely to attend the first day sitting of the National Assembly. The National Assembly will transact legislation business on the first day of the sitting including the bill for conducting of local bodies polls in the federal capital. The bill has already been passed by Senate early this month. The National Assembly Secretariat has issued 22-itmes agenda for the first day sitting, the sources said. The National Assembly will witness some commotion as segregated groups in the opposition would agitate issues of their respective interest when the proceeding would commence. The opposition is fallen apart regarding hot topics of discussions except the flood situation. The developments pertaining to Sindh and Karachi have already created wedge between the PPP and MQM as both are the part of opposition. The PTI has varied position from the both. Interestingly, three major groups in opposition would try to put up their face as ‘real’ opposition in the session, the sources opined.