April 11, 2006	Tuesday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 12, 1427

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ISLAMABAD, April 10: Lawmakers of PPP Parliamentarians severely criticised what they termed character assassination of Benazir Bhutto by NAB and staged a token walkout from the National Assembly on Monday.

The proceedings marked a rare show of understanding between the opposition and the treasury to let the house continue its proceedings without bothering about quorum.

There was no quorum during the three-hour proceedings because the number of legislators in the house varied between 31 and 61 as against the requirement of presence of at least 86.

Hanif Abbasi of the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal took over the chair for a brief period during which a number of opposition members were allowed to speak on points of order.

The PPP Parliamentarian later walked out in protest against remarks made by a former PPP member and now PML lawmaker Ali Akbar Vaince.

Mr Vaince said that two leaders of the PPP had accused each others of indulging in massive corruption and that he left the PPP after realising that its leaders were thoroughly corrupt.

Naheed Khan and Raja Parvaiz Ashraf claimed that the PPP was the largest political party in the country and its leader Benazir Bhutto was innocent in all cases instituted against her.