Opposition boycotts National Assembly session: Prime Minister asked to take house into confidence by Monday

Enraged by the 'non-seriousness' of the government in dealing with the situation arising out of TTP chief Hakimullah Mehsud's killing, opposition parties on Friday boycotted the National Assembly's proceedings with a warning to hold their parallel session on the road if Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif did not take the house into confidence on Monday.
Lawmakers from opposition parties including Pakistan People's Party (PPP), Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) and Awami National Party (ANP) staged a walkout from the house against the government for not talking the opposition into confidence regarding the strategy to deal with the situation arisen after Mehsud's killing.
Interestingly, Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) did not join the opposition parties' walkout, apparently giving an impression of division in the ranks of the opposition parties. The opposition parties first staged a walkout against the non-seriousness of the government and absence of the ministers during the important debate on the drone attacks, however, latter boycotted the house proceedings with the warning to join the already protesting senators outside the parliament house on the road if the Prime Minister failed to take the opposition parties on board on Monday.
Before living the house in protest, the opposition lawmakers said that the government should initiate dialogue with the Taliban and demanded that drone attacks should be stopped to ensure success of the dialogue. Leader of the opposition Syed Khurshid Ahmad Shah, while speaking on a point of order, pointed out the 'non-serious' attitude of the government over the important issue, saying that it is a matter of serious concern that the country is facing a crisis like situation while the government is reluctant to take the nation on board.
Later talking to reporters along with members of other opposition parties, Shah particularly criticised the Prime Minister for ignoring the proceedings of the House. "Why is the Prime Minister hesitating to take the National Assembly into confidence...whether the Prime Minister does not give any importance to the house or he is forced by the circumstances not to disclose the government strategy to deal with the situation," he asked, adding that the Prime Minister and his government seemed confused, which is creating confusion among the masses.
He said that the opposition parties would hold a parallel session outside the parliament and join the already protesting senators if the Prime Minister failed to give a policy statement in the House on Monday. He said that the House should be taken on board about the government strategy on the proposed talks with the Taliban and its response to the latest drone attack that killed Mehsud.
Shah Mahmood Qureshi of PTI said that the government should clarify its position as the members of the House and the people of the country are unaware about the dialogue process with the Taliban. He said that the opposition parties were giving an opportunity to the government to take the house into confidence until Monday. Sheikh Rashid Ahmad of Awami Muslim League said since the dialogue process with the Taliban is suspended following the drone attack, the government should reveal its strategy to deal with the situation.
Earlier, speaking on floor of the house, Minister for Science and Technology Zahid Hamid clarified that the elections for the chairmen of four standing committees ware underway due to which some members were not present in the House. He said after the completion of the election other members and ministers would join the proceeding.
Parliamentarians, who took part in the debate on the recent drone attack, including Tahira Aurangzeb‚ Shaikh Salahuddin‚ Makhdoom Khusro Bakhtiar‚ Chaudhary Jaffar Iqbal‚ Salman Baloch and Nazir Khan backed the proposed peace initiative. They were of the view that the government should initiate unconditional dialogue with the Taliban as well as convey to the US in clear terms to stop the drone attacks.