PPP seeks PTI support against canals project

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has sought Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)’s support against the controversial canals project, ARY News reported on Thursday.

Shazia Marri, PPP Information Secretary and Member of the National Assembly, accused PML-N and the Speaker’s Office of bias, claiming that PPP had submitted a resolution to the Speaker on April 7, which should have been included in the agenda. However, she said, the Speaker placed a note on the resolution and returned it to the Assembly Secretary instead.

Marri defended the PPP’s reaction in the National Assembly, asserting that if issues are not allowed to be discussed or addressed, strong reactions are inevitable.

Shazia Marri stated that PTI has also submitted a resolution to the National Assembly Secretariat opposing the construction of canals from the Indus River. She urged PTI to lend its support to the PPP’s resolution on the matter.

Notably, PPP MNAs today disrupted the quorum of the National Assembly, according to sources.

Deputy Speaker Syed Ghulam Mustafa Shah, who was chairing the session, began the proceedings by initiating the question hour. However, opposition lawmakers stood up seeking to speak on a point of order, which the chair declined.

In response, Sunni Ittehad Council’s Iqbal Afridi drew attention to the quorum.

The Deputy Speaker ordered a headcount. Sources revealed that, prior to the headcount, 22 PPP MNAs left the House on the instructions of their leader, Syed Agha Rafiullah, and remained in the lobby instead of the session.

Upon confirming the insufficient presence of members, the Deputy Speaker declared the House not in order and adjourned the sitting till Friday morning.

Meanwhile, PPP is facing isolation in the National Assembly as all major political parties refused to support its resolution against the canal project, citing sources ARY News reported on Tuesday.

PPP MNAs including Shabbir Bijarani had signed an anti-canal resolution yesterday to be moved in the lower house, sources said.

Law Minister Azam Nazir Tarar said that the PML-N members would not support the resolution against canals in the house at any cost, PPP sources said.

The PTI also didn’t support the People’s Party’s resolution against building of new canals on the river, PPP sources shared.

“When the PPP lawmakers failed to table the resolution, they spoke over the issue on the point of order with permission from the Speaker,” party sources added.