Opposition ponders MPs’ resignations, countrywide strike to intensify protest

ISLAMABAD, Nov 2 (APP):As the opposition parties continue their sit-in in the federal capital, their Rahbar Committee Saturday deliberated other multiple options to intensify their protest including en bloc resignations from the assemblies, countrywide shutter-down, protest demonstrations and roadblocks.

Addressing a press conference here after their meeting, Convener Rahbar Committee Akram Durrani said all representing leaders of opposition parties would discuss the said proposals with their top leadership which would follow the formulation of a future strategy.

He was accompanied by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader Ahsan Iqabal, Pakistan Peoples Party’s (PPP) Syed Nayyer Bokhari, Awami National Party’s (ANP) Mian Iftikhar and representatives of other five parties supporting the Azadi March.

The committee met amid serious concerns expressed by the senior leadership of the PML-N and PPP over JUI-F’s plans of confrontation including the sit-in and marchers’ movement towards D-Chowk.

In a separate media interaction, PPP leader Aitzaz Ahsan termed JUI-F’s threat to forcibly arrest and seek prime minister’s resignation as unconstitutional.

Aitzaz also questioned Mulana Fazlur Rehman’s authority to make such decisions which fell under the Rahbar Committee’s purview and viewed that JUI-F’s leader wanted to create anarchy.

Akram Durrani said being democratic parties, they were ready for talks with the government; however asked the government leaders not to use harsh language against them.

Reiterating the opposition’s demands, Durrani called for holding fresh elections in a transparent manner. However, he said talks could not move forward if deadlock on the prime minister’s resignation continued.

PML-N leader Ahsan Iqbal strongly criticized the government’s economic and national security policies and also questioned the waiver of passport for the Indian Sikh pilgrims of Kartarpur Corridor.

ANP’s Mian Iftikhar criticized the Punjab Information Minister for using non-parliamentary language for their leader Bacha Khan and others who had rendered sacrifices during the freedom movement.

PPP’s Nayyer Bokhari said under the leadership of Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, the PPP stood firm on the demand of prime minister’s resignation and holding of fresh elections.