Deadlock persists on Opposition Leader’s appointment ISLAMABAD: Deadlock remained between the government and the PML-N led opposition over the appointment of the Opposition Leader in the Upper House and PML-N has warned to take legal action if the notification of Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri is not withdrawn.
JUI-F, however, said PML-N should be watchful in its demand and give up its rigid stand. As the House began its session on Monday, Senator Raja Zafarul Haq on a Point of Order said, appointment of the Opposition Leader was not related with two persons or two parties, it is a matter of the upholding law, constitution and morality. He asked the Chairman Senate to suspend the notification first and listen to the arguments from both sides or PML-N and its allies would be left with no option but to take legal action. Farooq H Naek in his remarks said the papers PML-N had sought would be provided on Tuesday. These papers have also been sought by Senator Raza Rabbani and other members.
JUI-F Senator Azam Sawati said the Chair had never said Haideri’s appointment as Opposition Leader was not right. “Chairman had only said to reconsider the appointment,” said Sawati.
However, debate on the appointment of the Opposition Leader could not take place on Monday due to the walkout by the PML-N and its allied opposition parties.
Senate Chairman Farooq H Naek remarked since it was decided that house would hold a debate on the appointment of the Opposition Leader in the House so the members should debate over the issue.
On this JUI-F members of the Upper House stated they did not demand for the debate but if the chair wished so they had no objection to holding debate. However, they held it would be useless to debate the issue in the absence of the PML-N and other parties.
Maulana Ghafoor Haideri and Maulana Muhammad Sherani said in the absence of the main party holding debate would not prove fruitful. Earlier, PML-N and its allied parties remained absent from the House and boycotted its proceedings. PML-N, Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) and some members of the PML-Q who have opted to sit on the opposition benches protested against the appointment of Maulana Ghafoor Haideri and demanded of the chair to suspend his notification of Maulana Haideri’s appointment. Chairman Senate stated the matter had been decided in the house and demanding suspension of the notification was not just. On this PML-N and its allied parties staged walk out and did not return to house during the rest of its proceedings. Online
