KARACHI, April 5: Pakistan Muslim League (F) Parliamentary Leader in the Sindh Assembly Jam Madad Ali has said that his party has decided to sit on the opposition benches.

He told Dawn on Saturday that his party would not field candidates for the offices of speaker and deputy speaker, and, as a goodwill gesture, would support Pakistan People’s Party candidates.

In reply to a question, Jam Madad Ali, whose party has eight MPAs, said that as a joint meeting of the opposition parties had not been held, he was not sure who would lead the opposition in the provincial assembly.

Responding to another question, he said the president of the Sindh chapter of the PML-Q, Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim, had gone to attend the inaugural session of the Sindh Assembly upon his return from Saudi Arabia but, apprehending misbehaviour from hostile party activists, came back without taking the oath.

Commenting on the disorder in the house, Jam Madad Ali said overexcited workers were responsible for the pandemonium in the Sindh Assembly. He added that it was natural because the party had come into power after 12 years.

However, he said, whatever happened on Saturday should not have happened and everyone should help maintain the decorum of the house.

He said he hoped that the ugly incident would not be repeated in the future and the party and its cadres would pay attention to serving the nation rather than giving in to emotionalism.