Opposition summons: NA, Senate sessions to discuss burning issues

ISLAMABAD: The united parliamentary opposition under the fold of Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) has for the first time summoned the sitting of the National Assembly (NA) sitting through requisition against the rising inflation in the country and arrest of leader of the opposition in the National Assembly Shahbaz Sharif.

The six-point agenda has been determined by the 125 members of the house belonging to opposition who submitted their requisition to the speaker secretariat in Parliament House on Monday.

The united opposition under its leader Raja Muhammad Zafarul Haq in Senate will also move requisition today (Tuesday) for convening the session of the Upper House of the Parliament. The government which had planned to convene two houses in the current week postponed the idea due to opposition pressure.

Well-placed parliamentary sources told The News on Monday that for the first time in the history of this National Assembly 125 members have inked the requisition for the sitting. On previous occasions the number varied around one hundred. The sources pointed out that increasing cases of violence against women, including rape and exponential increase in the price of life saving medicines are part of the opposition agenda that has been proposed in the requisition move.

The simultaneous extortionate rise in the electricity prices and increase in circulation debt to RS2300 billion and continuing collapses in Pakistan’s foreign relations endangering national security are also part of the agenda suggested by the opposition for discussion.

The sources pointed out that conduct of the National Assembly Speaker will also figure in the discussions who according to the opposition failed in befitting manner as custodian of the house.

The opposition will impress upon having the meeting of the National Assembly with personal appearance. It is opposed to have it virtual. Likewise, Senate sitting’s requisition is being submitted with enhanced agenda today and the Upper House will also be convened around the sitting of the National Assembly. It is likely leader of the opposition in Senate Raja Muhammad Zafarul Haq will have meeting with Chairman Senate Muhammad Sadiq Sanjrani while putting up the requisition today. The chairman could convene Senate session within this week.

The sources said that besides the agenda items of the opposition, burning political issues will come up in the two houses for discussion. The PDM’s movement and allegation of sedition being hurled on opposition leaders by the government officials generously will be a topic for fiery debate in both the houses, the sources added. The opposition is also asking through a letter to speaker for issuance of production orders for leader of opposition Shahbaz Sharif for ensuing sitting of the National Assembly who is in the custody of the NAB in a controversial case.