Pak. Opposition to end Senate boycott

The Opposition decided to call off its nine-day boycott of the Senate on Friday after assurances by two federal ministers that terrorism-related figures would be reviewed and that the Interior Minister would brief Parliament next week.

Senators continued their open session for the third day on Friday but a meeting of Pervaiz Rasheed, Information Minister, and Ishaq Dar, Finance Minister, with Aitzaz Ahsan, Leader of the Opposition, sorted out matters.

Privilege motion

Addressing the open session, the Ministers said figures presented by Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan would be reviewed. Mr. Ahsan said, in the light of the assurances, the boycott would end. However, he is planning to move a privilege motion against Mr. Khan, who submitted “wrong figures” for terror deaths in Khyber Paktunkhwa between June and October this year. The Minister said it was 120 deaths while the Opposition claimed it was over 180.

Mr. Ahsan said though he didn’t seek an apology, the wrong answer should be retracted.

Mr. Khan said he had rechecked the figures with the provincial government and they were correct.

This is the first time that Senators have resorted to this step and held a session outside the National Assembly complex.