Annoyed with Shehbaz Sharif, PPP decides to boycott joint opp session‎: sources

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) has decided to boycott a joint session of the opposition parties convened by PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif after being annoyed with the latter’s absence from the budget passage session of the National Assembly, ARY NEWS reported quoting sources.

According to sources privy to the matter, a joint session of the opposition parties is convened after the National Assembly session, however, the PPP has decided to boycott it over PML-N’s response during the budget 2021-22 session.

“The top PPP leadership is disappointed with Shehbaz Sharif and has concluded as to what could they achieve from a joint session when non-seriousness was shown during the budget passage,” they said.

They further blamed the PML-N for giving a walkover to the government in the passage of the budget and added that Shehbaz Sharif’s absence from the proceedings has cost the opposition dearly.

The opposition remained scattered owing to the absence of Shehbaz Sharif and 14 other members of the PML-N, the sources within PPP said.

It is pertinent to mention here that the federal budget 2021-22 was adopted with a majority vote of 172 lawmakers by the National Assembly on Tuesday.

Most members of the PML-N that is the major opposition group in the assembly remained absent during the voting process. 70 out of 84 members of the PML-N that is lead by Opposition Leader Shehbaz Sharif in the House remained absent, in sheer contrast to PPP, whose 54 out of 56 lawmakers attended the budget 2021-22 passage session.

The two lawmakers, according to sources who remained absent were suffering from COVID-19.