LAHORE, June 7: Opposition parties will not be able to create any problem for the government during the budget session because of a lack of cohesion in their ranks, a senior leader of the ruling party says. Chaudhry Zaheeruddin, the secretary-general, told reporters here on Tuesday that in case the opposition still tried to disrupt proceedings, the ruling party would counter the move through logic.

A meeting of the PML parliamentary party is due to be held here on Wednesday evening to decide the strategy for the budget session. Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi will preside over the session.

There are indications that the PPP, the PML-N and the MMA may raise the issue of disqualification references against the ‘turncoats’ which Speaker Afzal Sahi has blocked, questioning the credentials of the movers.

The speaker has refused to accept Qasim Zia, Rana Sanaullah Khan and Asghar Gujjar as leaders of their respective parliamentary parties.

Mr Zaheeruddin said the Rules of Procedure were either silent or went against the viewpoint of the people calling themselves parliamentary leaders of their parties. In such a situation, he said, the speaker was right in his assertion.

“I hope the session will proceed smoothly. The opposition is not in a position to do anything because of a lack of cohesion in their ranks. But in case they still tried to disrupt proceedings, the ruling party will counter them through logic,” he said.

He made it clear that assemblies could not be conquered by shouting or desk-thumping.