ISLAMABAD, Oct 18: The National Assembly on Monday passed the anti-terrorism bill and the contempt of court bill after the opposition walked out of the house in protest against the president's uniform. Opposition members chanted slogans before their walkout.

Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, who was in his chamber during the opposition's protest, came to the house after the walkout.

A small number of treasury members, who were left in the house after the opposition's walkout, adopted the two bills, one to regulate the exercise of powers of courts to punish for contempt of court and the other amends the Anti-Terrorism Act 2004 by voice vote.

After boycotting the house proceedings, the combined opposition - ARD, MMA and others - announced that they were close to chalking out a joint strategy for removing Gen Pervez Musharraf both as the president and the chief of the army staff.

Unlike on previous occasions, the opposition parliamentary groups did not assemble at the parliament gate to stage their protest on Monday.

Speaker Chaudhry Amir Hussain ran the proceedings without quorum which broke soon after the opposition had left the house and was not complete even after an hour was given for the purpose.

Khawaja Asif of PML-N, who had pointed out the lack of quorum, counted the treasury members when the speaker declared that the house was in order.

Mr Asif, however, contested the speaker's claim and requested a recount. The speaker again declared the house in order after a recount.

At this point, Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Dr Sher Afgan Niazi objected to Khawaja Asif's raising of objection to the speaker's order.

Khawaja Asif shouted back when the minister suggested to the speaker to issue a notice to the member, saying: "I have won elections from jail while you have contested polls from mental hospital."

In the meantime, opposition members started gathering in front of the speaker's rostrum and chanting anti-Musharraf slogans.

Opposition members alleged that a senator, ministers and ministers of state and even a non-member adviser had been counted as MNA to declare that the house was in order.

Talking to newsmen outside the assembly hall, MMA President Qazi Hussain Ahmed said: "All opposition parties agree on the point that Gen Musharraf has violated the constitution and do not accept the impression he is trying to create that the country cannot be run without him."

He said the opposition had decided to attend the house proceedings briefly and then walk out to register its protest against the gross violation of the constitution and attempts to stifle parliament.

The MMA chief said that Gen Musharraf had left the opposition with no alternative but to unite on a one-point agenda and to bring the people on the roads.

To chalk out a united strategy, he said, the leadership of the ARD and the MMA were in contact and an announcement could be made any time.

PML-N leader Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan said that consultations among major opposition parties to evolve a joint strategy were continuing and the nation would soon hear good news.

The passage of bill to allow Gen Musharraf to retain the army office, he said, was the last nail in the coffin of the democratic order and the opposition could not sit idle any longer.

Shah Mehmood Qureshi of the PPP said that two precious years of the nation had been lost in the hope that the sovereignty and supremacy of parliament would be restored but nothing had happened.

Mr Qureshi said that despite tall claims of the regime, problems of the common man and law and order had not been solved.

MMA's deputy parliamentary leader Hafiz Hussain Ahmed said that Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz had admitted that Gen Musharraf was a 'terrific' boss which meant that he was a boss by force who earlier dominated Zafarullah Jamali and then Chaudhry Shujaat.