APC: Opposition rejects inquiry committee, considers it attack on Parliament: JUI-F Chief

ISLAMABAD: Chairman PPP Bilawal Bhutto Zardari shaking hand with PML-N President and Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Shahbaz Sharif, Vice President PML-N Maryam Nawaz and other attending All Parties Conference arranged by JUI-F. – DM Photo
By Shakeel Ahmed

ISLAMABAD: The Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (Fazl) chief Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman said that the opposition parties in the All Parties Conference rejected the inquiry commission and consider it an attack on parliament.

The APC session of all opposition parties was summoned upon the behest of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman. Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N)leaders Maryam Nawaz and Shehbaz Sharif, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leaders Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Yousuf Raza Gillani, were among the attendees in the meeting.

Fazl, in the post-conference press conference, said that the opposition parties have agreed to initiate a mass contact movement and strong protests inside and outside the parliament. “We have rejected the anti-poor budget,” he said. “In order to ascertain facts, a parliamentary committee will be constituted.”

Fazl said that the participants of the meeting stressed on establishing civil supremacy in the country. 

Opposition to mark July 25 as black-day

The APC members have decided to mark July 25 as black day to mark their protest against alleged rigging in the last election. A mass contact movement in all four provinces will be launched, the JUI-F chief announced. 

Senate Chairman to be replaced through constitutional procedure

Fazal said that the opposition parties will replace Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani through a constitutional procedure. A steering committee – comprising members from all parties – would be mandated to name a joint candidate. “The committee will be called Rehbar committee, it will implement the APC decisions,” he said.

Production of Ali Wazir, Mohsin Dawar

The JUI-F leader said that the participants of the meeting demanded production order of two arrested legislators hailing from Waziristan, adding that the opposition parties have called for legislation on enforced disappearances. “The missing persons must be presented before the courts,” he said.

APC condemns measures against 18th amendment

The APC has condemned measures being taken against parliamentary democracy and 18th amendment, and the opposition members have decided to resign in protest from the parliamentary committee constituted to probe rigging allegations, said Fazl.  

The opposition leaders rejected the selected accountability of the opposition leaders and have demanded a parliamentary committee to probe how the foreign loans were spent since 2000, he added.