PDM to boycott MPs panel meeting on corona

ISLAMABAD: The opposition has decided to boycott a meeting of the Parliament Committee on COVID-19 convened by Speaker National Assembly Asad Qaisar on Wednesday (today).

According to the opposition, it was the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM)’s collective decision to boycott the meeting convened by Asad, as his conduct was not bipartisan.

The meeting has been convened to discuss the situation arising out of the second wave of coronavirus in the country and to formulate a national uniform policy for combating the pandemic.

When this correspondent contacted the PPP Parliamentary Leader in the Senate Sherry Rehman, she confirmed that the opposition will not attend the meeting as per decision of the opposition.

PML-N Secretary General Ahsan Iqbal also confirmed that his party will not attend the meeting as per decision of the opposition.

Meanwhile, PDM Secretary General and former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi announced that the political alliance has decided not to attend the Parliamentary Committee on COVID-19 convened by Speaker National Assembly Asad Qaiser.

“The Speaker National Assembly has lost the confidence of opposition,” he said in a statement on Tuesday.

Abbasi said the Speaker did not have authority to form the parliamentary committee under the rules. He said the government did not have any policy to combat the COVID-19 and if it has any then they should bring it before the National Assembly.