Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq’s efforts augured well as opposition parties agreed on Wednesday to provide a peaceful atmosphere to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in the Lower House when he arrives to explain his position on Panama leaks on Monday.

“The opposition parties have given assurance to listen to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif quietly when he comes to the House on Monday. They will also be given an equal opportunity to express themselves,” Speaker Ayaz Sadiq told media persons after a meeting with the opposition members in his chamber. Both the government and opposition parties have agreed that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will give policy statement on Monday instead of Friday. To keep the mercury low on PM’s arrival, Speaker Ayaz Sadiq held meetings with the opposition as well as government members. He also contacted opposition leader Khursheed Shah who is in Karachi for medical checkup to seek his point of view. Sources said chief of Awami Muslim League Sheikh Rasheed was alienated in speaker’s chamber on the issue of protest at the time of prime minister’s policy statement in the House.

“Sheikh Rasheed was of the view that the opposition should record its protest on Panama leaks in the presence of prime minister but other parties including the PTI didn’t side with him,” a source privy to the meeting said. It has been learnt that the speaker has given firm assurance to opposition that parliamentary heads of opposition parties will be given a fair opportunity to express themselves. “But, the speaker has not committed whether the prime minister will remain in the House after giving his policy statement,” the source added. Sources said the government is very much eager about Khursheed Shah leading the opposition benches at the time of prime minister’s policy statement. The speaker also contacted Information Minister Pervez Rasheed for devising a strategy regarding coverage of the session. “The prime minister will go live on PTV similarly the speech of the opposition leader Khursheed Shah will also be broadcast live,” sources said.