Pakistan: PPP, journalists briefly boycott National Assembly session over separate issues

According to the report, the PPP, which is a coalition partner of the ruling PML-N at the Centre, staged a walkout after remarks made by Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz amid an ongoing rift between the two parties over flood relief. At the same time, journalists protested against a police raid at the National Press Club (NPC) on Thursday, during which media persons were assaulted.

As the NA proceedings began, PPP's Naveed Qamar said, "I want to say this on record that in the last session, we had raised some issues. We had also protested and walked out. After that, the government sent a team that engaged in dialogue with us."

He, however, added that despite the talks "there has been no difference on the ground [...] We cannot be a part of this House until this matter is resolved. So, we are walking out today."

Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, while opening his speech, expressed optimism that the differences between the PPP and PML-N would be settled. He asked Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar and National Food Security Minister Rana Tanveer Hussain to hold talks with PPP leaders to bring them back to the session if they had not yet left.

Dawn noted that as Dar continued speaking, some PPP members returned to the hall amid applause. The foreign minister thanked them and remarked that the issues between the two sides would be resolved with leadership involvement.

The PPP had also walked out of the September 30 NA session over Maryam's comments, which escalated a row that began with flood compensation and later extended to water rights on the Indus River. Maryam had asked PPP leaders to "keep its advice to itself," prompting PPP lawmakers to boycott the NA and Senate sittings in protest.

On Wednesday, senior PPP and PML-N figures met in Islamabad to seek a way forward, with PPP urging Maryam to "rethink her tone" regarding water rights and Sindh. The meeting attended by Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, Law Minister Azam Nazir, Senator Rana Sanaullah, and PPP's Naveed Qamar and Ijaz Jakhrani decided to escalate the matter to PML-N President Nawaz Sharif and CM Maryam, Dawn reported.

Separately, journalists also staged a walkout from the press gallery over the Islamabad police raid at the NPC. Members of the Parliamentary Reporters Association of Pakistan (PRA), led by President MB Soomro and Secretary Naveed Akbar, walked out of the NA session.

In a statement cited by Dawn, the PRA described the NPC as the "home to journalists" that had been attacked by police. "Violence against journalists and such incidents are becoming common," the statement read, adding that the PRA considered such acts a "reflection of undemocratic thinking."

NA Speaker Ayaz Sadiq directed treasury members to engage with the media, following which Public Affairs Minister Rana Mubashir Iqbal, Minister of State for Law and Justice Barrister Aqeel Malik, and Minister of State for Finance and Revenue Bilal Azhar Kayani visited the press lounge. Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry also joined them.

Chaudhry assured journalists their demands would be met, condemned the raid, and expressed solidarity with the media. He said the law minister was in contact with him on the matter and that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had also been briefed.

Following these assurances, journalists agreed to postpone their boycott of the NA session. (ANI)