LAHORE, Feb 3: Punjab Assembly Speaker Afzal Sahi on Monday challenged the opposition, asking it to spare time for discussing the issue that who deserted the parent party at a testing time.

Chairing the session, Mr Sahi responded to acting opposition leader Rana Sanaullah Khan’s use of the word ‘turncoats’ during his speech. He (Sahi) said he did not clarify the other day who shifted loyalties on Oct 13, 1999.

He said: “You (Mr Khan) are saying that you abandoned the PPP when it was in power and they (PML-QA men) say they formed the party when assemblies were suspended.”

He reminded Mr Khan that grouping in the party started when the then PML leaders opted for exile to Saudi Arabia without consulting the party members.

Amid applause from the treasury benches, Mr Sahi said, the League was bifurcated the day Sharifs left for abroad, and Punjab President Zulfiqar Khosa did not invite some leaders, including Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, to an important meeting held to decided future course of action.

Shaikh Ijaz of the PML-N said on a point of order they (opposition) were ready to accept the challenge and the speaker should fix time for the discussion. “We shall prove who changed loyalties and who is on the payroll of Chaudhrys,” he said.

Reacting to these remarks, many treasury members, especially women MPAs, stood up and started shouting.

Law Minister Raja Basharat on a point of order opposed holding of the discussion in the House, saying it was not a proper forum for this purpose.

The Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal MPAs also opposed the idea, saying it was an affair of two factions of the League and other parliamentary parties had nothing to do with it.

Rana Sanaullah urged the speaker to fix day and time for the discussion. He said floor-crossing and changing of loyalties were the biggest problems of the country.

The speaker, however, did not fix any date or time for the discussion.