Combined opposition on Tuesday walked out of the National Assembly while the government ally Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) boycotted the proceedings protesting against the proposed increase in electricity tariff by withdrawing power subsidy from July 1, 2009.
In a rare show of consensus on the issues, the opposition parties including Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) took the proposed withdrawal of subsidies on electricity and gas very seriously and termed it as injustice to the already poverty stricken masses.
Speaking on a point of order, Leader of the Opposition Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan said that the way the government is withdrawing subsidy on the electricity/gas, proposing 17 percent increase in power tariff is unjustifiable and would push more people below the poverty line. "We cannot become part of this anti-poor decision of the government withdrawing subsidy from power sector, which is directly related to the poor segment of the society," he said and left the House followed by the opposition lawmakers.
Earlier, PML-Q chief whip Riaz Hussain Pirzada also lambasted the government over its decision to withdraw the subsidy on the electricity. He said that it would be extreme injustice with the people to withdraw the subsidy at the behest of the IMF, adding that it would be the big mistake of this democratic government to accept the anti-poor dictation of the IMF. He said that his party would not be part of any such move of the government and would walk out of the House.
Earlier, in the beginning of the proceedings, MQM, an ally of Pakistan People's Party (PPP)-led coalition announced boycott of the proceedings against the proposed withdrawal of subsides given on the electricity and gas saying that they would not accept the conditions set by the IMF at the expense of the poor.
Later, PPP chief whip in the National Assembly Syed Khursheed Shah and Privatisation Minister Syed Naveed Qamar went to the members and motivated them not to protest.
The opposition parties followed by MQM ended the protest and rejoined the proceedings of the House with the assurance given by Interior Minister Rehman Malik and Minister for Water and Power Raja Pervez Ashraf. They assured them that they would be taken into confidence regarding any decision of withdrawal of subsidies.
Muttahida lawmaker Abdul Qadir Khanzada said they had ended the boycott after Minister for Water and Power gave an assurance that they would be taken on board before taking any decision in this regard. He said that people were already under the burden of the skyrocketing price hike and unemployment and withdrawal of subsidy at this stage would further multiply their miseries.
Responding to the concerns of the opposition members, Minister for Water and Power Raja Pervez Ashraf said that withdrawal of subsidy was even not mentioned in the budget. He, however, assured the House that the opposition would be taken into confidence once the time would come in this regard.
He also thanked the opposition members for ending the walk out. PML-Q's Shahnaz Sheikh strongly criticised the government for the proposed withdrawal of subsidies on electricity and gas. She asked the government not to accept the hard conditionalities of the IMF for taking loans.