ISLAMABAD, Sept 30: Members of the treasury and opposition benches in the National Assembly on Tuesday jointly paid homage to late Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan for his services to democracy.
But immediately after the unanimous passage of a resolution that termed the veteran politician’s role a “shining and golden chapter” in Pakistan’s history, antagonism between the two sides of the political divide reappeared as opposition members quietly walked out, continuing their protest against the LFO.
As a mark of mourning for the Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy chief, the combined opposition did not engage in its usual desk-thumping and slogan-chanting against the LFO.
The condolence resolution for Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan was moved by Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal member Liaqat Baloch who said the document had been signed by parliamentary leaders of all parties, including the PML-Q, the PPP and the PML-N.
It said Nawabzada Nasrullah’s death had caused a nationwide sorrow for a peace-loving, experienced and determined “fighter for democracy and constitutional rule” whose services would always be remembered.
KEEN TO LEGISLATE: As soon as the opposition members rose from their seats to walk out, PML-Q member M. P. Bhandara rose on a point of order to call for the completion of the day’s agenda “even if the house had to until midnight.”
Mr Bhandara recalled that former president Ghulam Ishaq Khan had cited lack legislative work as one reason for his dissolution of two National Assemblies in early 1990s and said the present assembly had done no legislation in more than 10 months of its existence.
To the apparent embarrassment of ministerial benches, several other ruling party members backed what speaker Chaudhry Amir Hussain described as a “very valid point” that finally won the consent of the opposition-less house to continue proceedings until a 30-item agenda for the day was finished.
