Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: After a consultative meeting and talks with National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, the joint opposition on Tuesday decided to end boycott of parliament.

During the meeting, the opposition also agreed over prime minister’s proposal regarding setting up of a joint parliamentary committee to prepare consensus and comprehensive terms of reference (ToRs) to probe revelations
made by the Panama Papers. The meeting was presided over by Pakistan People’s Party stalwart Aitzaz Ahsan.

Speaking to media after the meeting, Leader of Opposition in National Assembly Khursheed Shah said, “The joint opposition was ending its boycott of National Assembly and the Senate. We had put forward seven questions but the prime minister’s speech has turned them into 70.” He said opposition would discuss the points raised after the address of the prime minister from Wednesday (today).

Explaining the opposition’s decision to end the boycott of parliament, Shah said, “How can we run away from the assembly. The assembly is our forum.” He said it took ‘ages’ to the prime minister to finally appear before the assembly.

Aitzaz Ahsan said that the prime minister’s speech in the National Assembly had given rise to several question. “We will ask him questions in the assembly. If he does not reply, we will think of another plan of action.”

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Shah Mehmood Qureshi said, “We are very serious in exposing thieves named by the Panama Papers.”

Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid chief Pervez Elahi said the opposition will go to the assembly with a new set of questions for the prime minister to answer.

The opposition leaders discussed the terms of reference for commission to probe Panama leaks as well as new questions raised by the opposition in a sitting with National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq. The speaker urged the opposition parties to end the boycott and return to parliament.

Earlier, the opposition prepared a questionnaire comprising 70 questions to be asked from the prime minister. The MQM, however, was absent from the joint sitting of the opposition parties.