ISLAMABAD (Staff Report) – The opposition in Parliament ended its boycott of Parliament on Tuesday (today) after a joint sitting and a meeting with National Assembly Speaker, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq.
They also agreed to join the Parliamentary Committee responsible for drafting ToRs for a judicial probe into the allegations stemming from Panama Papers.
In their joint sitting on Tuesday, opposition parties including the Pakistan People’s Party and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf agreed to end their boycott of Parliament, which was announced on Friday after the Prime Minister postponed his scheduled address to both Houses on the government’s position in relation to the Panama leaks.
Read More: Nawaz address: Rejects Panama allegations, proposes committee on ToRs for probe
The meeting at the Parliament House was attended by Leader of the Opposition in the NA, Syed Khurshid Shah and Deputy Parliamentary leader of the PTI, Shah Mehmood Qureshi.
During the meeting, both opposition leaders were invited into the Speaker’s Chambers by NA Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, who urged them to to end the boycott and return to Parliament. Both parties agreed to end their boycott soon after.
The NA Speaker also requested the opposition leaders to propose names of their nominees for the Parliamentary Committee to draft ToRs for the judicial probe on the Panama leaks.
The formation of the committee was recommended by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif during his address in the NA on Monday (yesterday).
After consulting among themselves, the opposition parties provided the NA Speaker with their proposals for formation of the said committee.
However, they added that the ToRs for the judicial probe into the Panama Papers must answer the list of 70 questions proposed by the opposition in response to the PM’s address in the NA yesterday. They also reiterated that they would ensure that the judicial probe into the Panama leaks controversy would take place at all costs.
Read More: PM Nawaz reaches Parliament to speak on Panama leaks
After meeting with the opposition leaders, the NA Speaker assured them that he would relay their point of view to the Prime Minister and revert back to them on the matter.
