Opposition stages walkout from NA over Govt failure to table Fata reforms bill

ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly session was put off for the second straight day after the opposition staged a walkout over the government’s failure to introduce the bill on reforms in Fata in the lower house.

The opposition parties continued their protest in the assembly on Wednesday, leading to the adjournment of proceedings of the house due to lack of quorum.

Awami Muslim League (AML) chief Sheikh Rasheed took it upon himself to slam the government’s foot-dragging to move the bill on Fata reforms in the House.

It was highly unbecoming of the PML-N government to hold back the bill at the behest of its allies – JUI chief Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman and PkMAP chief Mahmood Khan Achakzai, he said.

He said it is high time the members from tribal regions should resign from the membership of the assembly in protest against the government’s non-serious attitude towards the reforms.

Naveed Qamar of the PPP said the government’s withdrawal of the bill from the session’s agenda was a contempt of the House.

Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq’s tried to pacify the opposition members to not to walk out of the House, but all in vain.

Qamar said it was the decision of the joint opposition to boycott proceedings of the assembly until the Fata reforms bill is not tabled.