LAHORE – Punjab Assembly Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan on Saturday constituted an eight-member government negotiation committee to initiate dialogue with the opposition over the matter of suspended lawmakers.
The sources said that the committee comprises Rana Arshad, Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman, Provincial Minister Khawaja Salman Rafique, Samiullah Khan and Ahmad Iqbal.
Additionally, representatives from coalition partners have also been included—Ali Haider Gillani from the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Chaudhry Shafay Hussain from the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q), and Shoaib Siddiqui from the Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP).
The opposition is expected to share the names of its negotiation committee with the speaker today.
Reportedly, the opposition team will include Opposition Leader Ahmad Khan Bhachar, Parliamentary Leader Ali Imtiaz Warraich, PML-N Lahore President Sheikh Imtiaz, Ijaz Shafi, and other members.
Sources confirmed that the opposition would finalize its committee later today, which would hold talks with the government side regarding the suspension of opposition lawmakers.
The second round of talks between the two sides is scheduled to take place on Sunday at 4:30pm at the Punjab Assembly.
Both government and opposition camps are expected to finalize their respective recommendations before the meeting.
