Islamabad (August 03, 2018): Reacting to the all parties conference by several opposition parties, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) welcomed the decision to come to Parliament.
The party released a statement saying that indulging in politics was the right of all parties, that it would address any reservations brought forward.
“Opposistion parties have the right to politics. We have made it clear to the opposition that we will address any reservations brought forward. We welcome their decision to come to parliament,” said the statement.
The party expressed satisfaction that the suggestion by smaller party such as Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) of Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman to boycott parliament was rejected, and the advice of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) was accepted.
It further said that it was also the democratic right of the parties to forge a alliance, but it was necessary to move beyond lofty statements as the Speaker of National Assembly and the Prime Minister will belong to the party with the highest numbers which currently are with the PTI.
The party said that the opposition parties have no moral ground, and the politics of the Leader of Opposition is devoid of strature and ideology and the PTI has nothing to worry about.
“PTI is the only party which has a moral ground and an ideology,” it added.
Earlier on, Pakistan Peoples Party, Pakistan Muslim League N, Mutihida Majlis Amal, ANP and other opposition parties decided to field joint candidates for Prime Minister, Speaker and Deputy Speaker slots.
Addressing media Pakistan People’s Party’s Sherry Rehman told media that all the opposition parties have made joint strategy. She said that opposition parties have rejected the rigged elections, however all have decided unanimously to sit in the parliament and fight for democracy.
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She further said that it has also been decided to agitate inside and outside the parliament.
“We have formed a working committee that would formulate terms of references [ToRs] for fielding candidates for the prime minister, speaker and deputy speaker positions in the National Assembly,” Sherry added.
Rehman said the parties have decided to bring a candidate for prime minister from the PML-N.
“The National Assembly speaker candidate will be from the PPP and the deputy speaker candidate from MMA,” Rehman said, adding that the names would be announced later.
She further said that the like-minded parties would sit in the Parliament “to counter the puppet government”.
Sherry Rehman further said that Terms of Reference will be constituted and further political discourse will be done on the basis of it.
She said that today was the third day of meetings of the democratic parties in which several points have been agreed upon.
ANP leader Mian Iftikhar said that their policy is aggressive not defensive, adding that “the like-minded parties would form the government and not the opposition”.
According to sources, the alliance is considering PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif as the candidate for prime minister and PPP’s Khursheed Shah for National Assembly Speaker.
Sources said that a session of the Joint Action Committee would be held tonight and Terms of Refernce (TORs) will be formulated within three days.
The JAC will announce the TORs and decisions taken during the committee session.
Sources further said that at the day of prime minister’s oath-taking, the opposition parties will hold a rally in the capital near Red Zone.
The Imran Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) secured 117 seats in the July 25 general election and claims it has the required numbers to elect the prime minister.
However, the anti-PTI alliance, which secured a combined 120 National Assembly seats, now says it would also go to the National Assembly session in “not a defensive but an offensive mode” to elect its own candidates.
Earlier, former Information Minister and PML N Leader Marriyum Aurangzeb told media that all the component parties of APC have made 15 member committee, which will finalize and announce the joint strategy of opposition parties.
Talking to media in Islamabad. former Minister said that it is an alliance of all the democratic parties, which will explain to PTI what is the real opposition.
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Marriyam Aurangzeb said that all the opposition parties have decided to join the parliament and participate in Speaker and Prime Minister election.
Members of opposition parties held a grand meeting at National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq’s residence in order to form a joint strategy for the opposition’s future course of action following the July 25 General Election.
The meeting was attended by the leaders of all political parties including Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s Shehbaz Sharif, Senator Raja Zafarul Haq, Saad Rafique, Khawaja Asif, Mushahidullah Khan, Khurram Dastgir and Ahsan Iqbal.
Pakistan Peoples Party’s (PPP) Khursheed Shah, Qamar Zaman Kaira, Senator Sherry Rehman, Yousaf Raza Gilani, Senator Farhatullah Babar and Raja Pervez Ashraf.
Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal’s Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Senator Sirajul Haq, Sajid Mir, Liaquat Baloch and Owais Noorani, Awami National Party’s Asfandyar Wali Khan, Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party’s Mahmood Khan Achakzai, National Party’s Senator Hasil Bizenjo, Pak Sarzameen Party’s Mustafa Kamal and members of other opposition parties.
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