Opposition to move SC if NAB ordinance, electoral reforms bill bulldozed through NA

• Steering committee decides strategy for the next joint session of the Parliament scheduled for Thursday at 11pm.
• Shahbaz Sharif hosts opposition leaders' dinner
• Bilawal says entire Opposition is united under the leadership of Shahbaz in the Parliament.

The steering committee of the Opposition has decided to move the Supreme Court in case the government gets the national accountability ordinance and electoral reforms bill bulldozed through the lower house.

The decision was made during the steering committee meeting of the Opposition held on Tuesday. The meeting also decided the strategy for the next joint session of the Parliament scheduled for Thursday at 11pm.

Sources privy to the matter said that the Opposition has formed a steering committee, comprising leaders from PML-N, PPP, JUI, ANP, BNP, and the National Party, to hinder the government from taking certain measures. 

Shahbaz Sharif hosts opposition leaders' dinner

Meanwhile, Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Shahbaz Sharif invited the leaders of the opposition parties to a dinner.

PPP Chairman Bilawal-Bhutto Zardari, JUI-F's Molana Asad, ANP's Ameer Haider Khan Hoti, and others attended the dinner. 

Shahbaz, while speaking to the media on the occasion, said that the government encountered “one of the worst defeats” in the National Assembly as he referred to the voting on a bill proposing that election candidates be prohibited from changing their symbols for a period of seven years.

“The government would have never been as embarrassed as it was today,” said Shahbaz.

He said that the Opposition will play a more active and decisive role in the coming days because "the rulers have deprived the people of their right to live."

He said that the government wants to "steal the votes in the next elections by introducing "controversial amendments” therefore the Opposition has decided to unite against it.

“All of us will fight against the government on every forum and reach out to the courts to stop the NAB ordinance from implementation under any circumstances,” said Shahbaz.

'Entire Opposition united under Shahbaz'

While speaking to the media after dinner, Bilawal said that the entire Opposition is united under the leadership of Shahbaz in the Parliament.

He said that the Opposition defeated the government in the NA.

“Only the alliance of the Opposition can defeat the government,” Bilawal said, adding that all opposition parties will achieve more success under this alliance.

Talking about the Opposition’s strategy for the joint assembly session, Bilawal said that the PPP will play an active role on the Opposition’s side in the session. He said that his party will stand wherever there is resistance against the government.

Responding to a question of whether the prime minister of Pakistan is getting replaced, Bilawal said that they are trying to do so.

Meanwhile, PML-N spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb said that the government has faced defeat on another private member’s bill.

“This is the proof that Prime Minister Imran Khan should tender two resignations instead of one,” said Aurangzeb.

“Only then people crushed by inflation can get some relief.”

Cabinet finalises affairs for NA joint session

Earlier, a meeting of the federal Cabinet, chaired by PM Imran Khan, finalised the affairs regarding the next joint session of the Parliament and called the session on Thursday at 11pm.

During the meeting, the PM’s Adviser on Parliamentarian Affairs Babar Awan briefed the cabinet members on the expected legislation to be tabled in the joint assembly session.

He said that legislation will be drafted on the electoral, legal, and other institutional reforms, including the case of Indian spy Kalbhushan Sindh Yadav, in the joint session.