They also said that dialogue process should be continued to reach a logical conclusion. A number of members of the house said that the Azadi and Inqilab marches had diverted the focus of the government from pressing issues such as assisting the displaced persons and grappling with an unbearable price hike.
Unlike last week’s session, the overall attendance at the lower house was limited as the opposition benches outnumbered the treasury benches.
Pakistan Peoples Party members actively participated in the proceedings and strongly objected to Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) chief Tahirul Qadri and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan’s protests.
PPP leader Ejaz Jakharani requested the speaker to meet the heads of all parliamentary parties after the proceedings to discuss the resignations of PTI members.
A federal minister told The Express Tribune that all parliamentary parties unanimously agree that the resignations should not be accepted. He billed the resignations as a form of fraud and asked Speaker Ayaz Sadiq to issue notices to all PTI members who have resigned.
PPP MNA Ayaz Soomro said that it is disappointing to see Imran and Qadri undermine the Constitution. He urged the Parliament to defend writ of the state and uphold democracy.
PPP leader Peer Munawar Ali Talpur insisted that the protest is not being backed by all citizens of Pakistan. On the contrary, only a few people from Lahore and Peshawar are part of this protest, he said. He requested Parliament to resist efforts by the protesting parties who were demanding the prime minister’s resignation.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 26th, 2014.
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