Raise in taxes, oil prices, gas, medicines: Joint opposition leaders to wage forceful protests in NA

LAHORE: Leaders of joint Opposition parties in the National Assembly decided to wage forceful protests in the parliament against the recent raise in taxes, prices of oil, power, gas, medicines and essential commodities ahead of Ramazan.

According to sources, though the Opposition parties were opposed to the extension in the period of military courts, but it was not decided to protest against that too. Yet, they demanded convening in-camera session of the parliament to have a briefing on the circumstances that required extending the extra-constitutional arrangements and the status of National Action Plan. The meeting also discussed the appointment of two-member Election Commission of Pakistan.

The meeting held Monday at the Model Town residence of PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif was attended by Shahbaz Sharif, MMA leader Maulana Asadur Rehman, besides senior leadership of the PML-N, while PPP’s senior leader Khursheed Shah was consulted on phone. The Opposition leaders discussed in detail the prevailing political satiation, besides the economic, foreign and domestic affairs in the country, and the options for future strategy.

Briefing the media after the meeting, former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi along with Ahsan Iqbal, Marriyum Aurangzeb and Rana Sanaullah termed the law governing military courts black law, and said the law was enacted during their government to deal with the extraordinary situation regarding lawlessness.

They said further extension in such extra-constitutional arrangements were not necessary now, adding that if there existed specific circumstances then Opposition parties must be taken into confidence at in-camera session of the parliament.

The PML-N leaders accused Prime Minister Imran Khan of habitually telling lies to the nation and going back on his promises. They said premier knew nothing about the law and the Constitution, and was in the habit of taking decisions without consultation. They said PM appointed members of the ECP without consultation, adding that Opposition wanted meaningful consultation described in the law. They said the country was at the verge of bankruptcy as the PTI government had no vision.

They said if PM had desired any change in the NFC Award, he should have sit with chief ministers of all the federating units to take them into confidence. They expressed sorrow that premier had also taken a U-turn on his offer of opening all constituencies for probing rigging. They said joint Opposition would not allow him to run away from his offer.

They said the PTI ruled in Centre and three provinces but the prime minister was afraid of taking collective decision on NFC Award. Khaqan Abbasi asked the rulers why they were worried on bail of Nawaz Sharif for medical treatment and removal of name of Shahbaz Sharif from the ECL. He asked the PM to give names of those seeking NRO. He questioned whether PM was competent to give such a favour to anyone and opined that the prime minister himself would be soon seeking NRO. He said the government was so terrified and confused that it had not yet initiated debate on any national issue in the parliament. “We have asked the speaker many times for convening assembly session. On every occasion he refused to do so while quoting the reason of pressure. But he has never mentioned the exact source of that pressure,” he added.

The meeting also expressed concerns over reports of considerable increase in loadshedding during this summer, saying it was all due to incapability of the rulers as enough electricity was already available in the system. The participants also expressed concerns over daily increase of Rs2 billion in circular debt.

They also decided to convene the meeting of parliamentary committee constituted to probe alleged rigging in the last general elections. The participants constituted a committee headed by Khursheed Shah to finalise candidates for ECP members from Sindh and Balochistan.