ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has invited heads of the parliamentary parties to a meeting on Wednesday (today) to discuss the prevailing political situation, particularly the developments which have taken place after the release of the inquiry commission’s report on the 2013 general elections.

Syed Khurshid Ahmed Shah, Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly, told Dawn that he had received the invitation.

Know more: Absence during dharna: NA vote to de-seat PTI MNAs deferred for one week

The decision to consult the heads of the parliamentary parties was made by the ruling PML-N after the National Assembly deferred for a week two identical motions moved by the JUI-F and the MQM seeking to declare as vacant seats of 28 Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) members for their absence from the house without leave during the party’s sit-in in Islamabad last year.

Heads of parliamentary parties invited

Khurshid Shah, who earlier in the day sent two letters to the prime minister on the issues related to the Pakistan Steel Mills and the flood situation, said that he had not been informed about the agenda of the meeting. However, he said that the agenda would obviously be the political situation and the recent report of the inquiry commission which had rejected the PTI’s allegations of poll rigging.

He said that he had been trying to persuade the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (JUI-F) and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) to withdraw their motions seeking de-seating of the PTI members of the National Assembly (MNAs), including its chief Imran Khan.

The PPP leader said that he had visited the residence of JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman and requested him to withdraw the motion. “I reminded the Maulana that since his party is part of the ruling coalition, he should not press for the motion since the PML-N is not supporting it.”

Khurshid Shah said that he had also approached the MQM with the same request. But he refused to tell the name of the MQM leader with whom he claimed to have discussed the issue.

Replying a question, Mr Shah said that the JUI-F chief and the MQM had assured him that they would take a decision after consultations within their parties.

Mr Shah said that the prime minister had probably not invited the PTI to the meeting since it would be discussing the strategy on the move to de-seat PTI MNAs.

The PPP leader said that he would continue to play his role to strengthen the democratic and parliamentary system. “I don’t care if someone calls us a friendly opposition. I want parliamentarians to use power of argument, instead of making loud speeches in parliament,” he added.

PTI leader Shah Mehmood Qureshi told Dawn that his party had not been invited to the meeting.

The party’s MNA, Dr Arif Alvi, said that the prime minister probably wanted to consult the PPP, the JUI-F and the MQM about the motions against the PTI.

He said that he believed that the government could not afford to keep the PTI out of parliament. “We are ready to face any situation. If you want to keep us out of the assemblies, go ahead.”

At the time of signing the memorandum of understanding for establishing the poll commission, the PTI leader recalled, the PTI and the PML-N had agreed that they would accept the findings of the commission and that the PTI would return to the assemblies if the report did not confirm the rigging charges.

In a meeting presided over by the prime minister on Monday, the PML-N had decided not to support the motions of the JUI-F and the MQM.

LETTERS TO PM: In a letter to the prime minister, Khurshid Shah has expressed dissatisfaction over relief and rescue operations in flood-hit areas and called for convening an urgent meeting of the National Disaster Management Commission (NDMC).

He regretted that an NDMC meeting, slated for May 28 in the prime minister’s office, could not take place due to “unknown reasons”.

The opposition leader requested the prime minister to convene the NDMC meeting as soon as possible to ensure that the commission carried out its duties.

Through another letter, Mr Shah drew the attention of the prime minister to the supply disconnection notice issued to the Pakistan Steel Mills (PSM) by the Sui Southern Gas Company because of non-payment.

He appealed to Nawaz Sharif to look into the matter in the larger interest of the country and announce a relief package for the PSM to save livelihood of thousands of its workers.

Published in Dawn, July 29th, 2015

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