ISLAMABAD: The grand opposition of nine political parties on Friday decided to initiate a move in both the Senate and National Assembly (NA) for the constitution of a Parliamentary Commission to probe the allegations of rigging in general elections, hold a demonstration in front of offices of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), issue a white paper on rigging and make a cohesive and united block in the parliament.
The All Parties Action Committee of grand opposition, which met here at the residence of outgoing NA Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, also agreed on holding joint parliamentary meetings of the opposition and also finalised its Terms of References (ToRs).
As per the ToRs decided in Friday’s sitting, it was decided to give a formal name to the alliance to move forward jointly while following a joint strategy, which would also include protest against massive rigging.
The ToRs also include planning protests, within and outside parliament, strategy for contesting elections of Prime Minister, Speaker, Deputy Speaker, prepare a white paper to expose the alleged rigging, manipulation and malpractices during July 25 elections, suggest names to establish Parliamentary Commission for the inquiry into the rigging during July 25.
“We have decided to move identical resolutions separately in Senate and the National Assembly in the first session to seek creation of a parliamentary commission comprising MNAs and senators from opposition and treasury benches to probe allegations of polls rigging,” Senator Mushahid Husain Sayed told ‘The News’ after meeting of the 16-member All Parties Action Committee.
Mushahid said Friday’s meeting of the Action Committee which was attended by representatives of nine political parties also decided to hold a national rigging conference in Islamabad, probably after Eidul Azha where a white paper would be issued on rigging in polls.
The Action Committee decided that the opposition parties would also stage a protest demonstration in front of main office of the ECP on August 8 (Wednesday) while similar demonstrations would also be staged outside provincial offices of ECP on August 9.
The details of the protest demonstrations would be finalised in the next few days but parliamentarians and losing ticket-holders of opposition parties would register their protest there. Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif and Khurshid Shah are likely candidates for slots of the Prime Minister and Speaker respectively while MMA’s MNA for election of deputy speaker would be either Abdul Wasay or Asad Mehmood.
Mushahid said the Action Committee agreed upon all the ToRs unanimously while it was also decided to register protest inside the parliament in a civilised and democratic manner and it would be different from what was witnessed during period of last assembly. “Our parliamentarians will attend the session while wearing black ribbon around their shoulders,” he said.
The All Parties Action Committee comprises Senator Mushahid Husain Sayed, Mir Kabeer Ahmad, Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri, Khawaja Saad Rafique, Senator Sherry Rehman, Senator Usman Kakar, Liaquat Baloch, Qamar Zaman Kaira, Malik Ayub, Raza Muhammad Raza, Maryam Aurengzeb, Anisa Zeb Tahir Kheli, Ghulam Ahmad Bilour and Ahsan Iqbal, Mian Iftikhar Hussain and Awais Noorani.
During the meeting, the leaders from PPP opposed protest inside lower house on eve of election of the Prime Minister observing that it would not be an effective way. Some PML-N leaders proposed civilised way of protest inside the assembly while giving tough time to the government.
The Committee would continue its sitting during the coming days to decide as to who implement future strategy and take forward alliance of democratic forces.
