KARACHI: The Pakistan Muslim League- Functional (PML-F), National People Party (NPP) and the faction of Pakistan Muslim League Q like-minded decided on Tuesday to sit jointly on the Opposition benches in Sindh Assembly.

The leaders of PML-F, NPP and PML-Q in a meeting held in Karachi decided to give the applications to the Speaker of Sindh Assembly to allot them the seats on Opposition benches from the next session.

The three parties parted their ways with the ruling Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) after promulgation of “People’s Metropolitan Corporation Ordinance 2012” after days of intense deliberations between the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), the two major parties in Sindh’s ruling coalition.

General Secretary of PML-F Imtiaz Ahmed Shaikh informed told the party decision at the press conference.

Mr Shaikh talking to Dawn.com said that the leaders of NPP, who were also ruling partners with PPP in Sindh, had also agreed to sit on opposition benches but would also take part in the protest against the ordinance, adding that, he appealed the people of Sindh to keep the shutter down on September 13 to lodge their protest against what he called the step amounting to dividing Sindh.

Former Chief Minister Dr Arabab Ghulam Rahim, the president of Pakistan Muslim league Like-minded faction told Dawn.com on phone that he welcomed the decision of PML-F and NPP to tender their resignations on different ministries and then to sit on opposition benches with four MPAs of his party, which were the only on the opposition benches adding he appealed the people of province to fully participate in the protest on September 13.

The strike call given by the Nationalists of Sindh, has been supported by PLM- N and the newly-formed group of PML-F NPP,PML like-minded and other political parties.

Muslim League Functional ( PML-F), National People's Party (NPP) and Pakistan Muslim League- Q (PML-Q) decided on Tuesday to sit on opposition benches in the Sindh Assembly, DawnNews reported.

The decision was taken by these parties as a protest after “People’s Metropolitan Corporation Ordinance 2012”, was signed after days of intense deliberations between the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), the two major parties in Sindh’s ruling coalition.

Earlier on Sept 7, PML-F and the PML-Q had said that  they oppose the decision of enforcing the new local government system in Sindh by an ordinance.

The PML-F, the PML-Q and the NPP  were coalition partners in the Sindh government.