Opposition requisitions NA session after Shahbaz’s arrest

ISLAMABAD: After the arrest of Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Shahbaz Sharif, the opposition has immediately requisitioned a session of the house.

Former speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq will spearhead the opposition in the National Assembly in the absence of Shahbaz Sharif. It is expected that the National Assembly’s session would be held on Friday, October 12. Ayaz Sadiq has planned to evolve a system of collective leadership, bringing the other component groups on board till Shahbaz Sharif returns to the House.

Well-placed sources told The News here on Saturday that Speaker Asad Qaiser has informally consulted leaders of various parliamentary groups in the National Assembly for convening the sitting of the National Assembly on the request of the opposition. It has been suggested to the speaker to convene the session on Wednesday, October 10, but the final decision would be taken about it tomorrow (Monday).

The speaker is bound to convene the session of the House if requisitioned within 14 days of the day when he receives the requisition under the rules. The requisition was submitted by the opposition members on Friday evening. Once the House is convened, the speaker could prorogue it when he is satisfied the purpose of its convening is fulfilled. It is the responsibility of the members who submit requisition to ensure quorum in the House. If the House renders out of quorum during the discussion and it is pointed out by some member, the speaker is authorised to prorogue the session.

According to parliamentary calendar, the regular session of the National Assembly had to be convened on October 29. The second largest opposition parliamentary group, the PPP, has also supported the requisition made by the PML-N.

The sources said that the National Assembly will discuss one-point agenda and it would be discussion regarding political situation prevailing in the country. Ayaz Sadiq had extensive discussions with the leaders of the PPP and other opposition parties in the National Assembly with regard to the upcoming sitting of the National Assembly. The sources said that Ayaz Sadiq has been in constant touch with former prime minister Nawaz Sharif pertaining to ongoing developments. Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz Sharif are being kept posted about the unfolding political events, the sources added.

Leader of the Opposition in Senate Zafarul Haq has also convened a meeting of opposition group leaders of the two-houses tomorrow (Monday) at the Parliament House to discuss the situation in the wake of detention of Shahbaz Sharif. The opposition will agitate in the Senate when it will commence its proceedings on the issue of arrest of Shahbaz Sharif.

The sources said Ayaz Sadiq will also attend tomorrow’s group leaders’ meeting. He has spoken to his successor that production orders of Shahbaz Sharif for the House should be issued immediately upon summoning the session. He has impressed upon him to convene the the session tomorrow and if not possible then summon it a day after. The sources said that chief whip of the PML-N in the National Assembly Murtaza Javed Abbasi has established contact with members of the PML-N to ensure their presence in the session. The PPP parliamentary group leaders and other opposition and independent groups will also attend tomorrow’s meeting convened by Zafarul Haq, the sources added.