ISLAMABAD, Nov 10: The opposition in the National Assembly on Monday criticized Speaker Chaudhry Amir Hussain for not issuing production orders in favour of detained Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy President Javed Hashmi after a lapse of 12 days, and boycotted his annual Iftar dinner in protest.

Speaking at a news conference after walking out of the house, the opposition leaders said the speaker had failed to protect their rights and he was under government’s pressure not to issue production orders for Mr Hashmi under Rule 90.

The opposition took serious note of Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali’s allegation that it had impeded the functioning of parliament.

The leaders said the acceptance that parliament had failed to perform satisfactorily was an admission of the failure of the government.

Replying to a question, Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal’s parliamentary leader Qazi Hussain Ahmed said: “The MMA’s talks with the government have concluded. Now it is up to the government to take the next step, which is to bring the agreed amended constitutional package to parliament.”

He said the MMA would vote only for those amendments on which it had reached an agreement with the government.

He warned that if the government failed to bring the proposed draft amendment bill to parliament before the Eidul Fitr, the MMA would not be bound by the agreement and it would launch a movement for toppling President Gen Pervez Musharraf’s government.

ARD Chairman Amin Fahim said the first year of parliament had been wasted and it was not addressed by an elected president, which was mandatory under the Constitution.

He said the ARD would meet in Lahore on Nov 15 to review the decisions taken at the opposition’s meeting.

He said the opposition had reiterated its demand that the speaker should use his powers under Rule 90 and issue production orders of Mr Hashmi.

Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) parliamentary secretary Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan said the “unconstitutional” president had failed to give his own parliament legitimacy by not adhering to the Constitution as he could not address it during the parliamentary year.

He said the first three months were lost without a session whereas only 24 days’ proceedings were held in the last three months, and that too for only two hours a day.

MMA Deputy Secretary General Liaqat Baloch the government had closed down a pharmaceutical concern in Karachi which belonged to an MMA MNA who had defeated a federal minister in the by-election and was involved in agitation against the government.