LAHORE: Disappointed with their members in the Punjab Assembly for their ‘lacklustre performance’ during the last session, the leadership of the Pakistan Peoples Party and Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid has asked them to give a ‘tough time’ to the ruling PML-N on the floor of the house in the next session in the absence of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf.

Few PPP and PML-Q legislators had attended the week-long session last month. In the absence of 30 PTI MPAs who had tendered their resignations to the speaker, the house virtually had no opposition.

Both PPP and PML-Q have eight legislators each in the Punjab Assembly. For the first time perhaps after the formation of this assembly last year, the speaker found no difficulty in running the business of the house in the last session.

Taking notice of ‘no opposition’ in the Punjab Assembly, the leadership of both the PPP and PML-Q has issued directions to its members to ensure maximum presence in the house in the next session and play a vibrant role of opposition.

“Our leadership has issued direction to the MPAs to attend the next assembly session with full preparation and give a tough time to the treasury,” a PPP MPA told Dawn here on Saturday.

He said the PPP leadership did not want his party to be tagged “friendly opposition” in Punjab and was very much concerned about the performance of its members on the floor of the house.

PPP MPA Faiza Malik told Dawn that the party would play a vibrant role of opposition in the Punjab Assembly in the absence of the PTI members. “In the next session which is likely in the coming month we will not let the treasury have smooth sailing and raise the public issues,” she said, adding the PPP wanted the PTI to review its decision of resignations.

The PML-Q feels that in the absence of the PTI it can play a real opposition role led by Moonis Elahi, son of former deputy prime minister Pervaiz Elahi.

“Since the PPP’s role in Punjab will not be different from that of the Center, it is PML-Q that will play a real opposition in the Punjab Assembly,” PML-Q MPA Sardar Waqas Hasan Mokal told Dawn.

“After the PTI members’ resignations, the PML-N members and the speaker are in a comfort zone. Since the resignations’ issue does not seem to be resolved anytime soon, the PML-Q members will fill its (PTI) vacuum,” Mokal said. “Once the speaker accepts the PTI members’ resignations, the PML-Q will go for the opposition leader slot,” he said.

Published in Dawn, November 9th, 2014