In a major development, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Thursday requested the opposition parties to withdraw the no-confidence motion they had announced to bring against National Assembly (NA) Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

Speaking to the media after the meeting of opposition parties in the chamber of Opposition Leader in the National Assembly (NA) Shehbaz Sharif’s chamber following their meeting with the NA Speaker Asad Qaiser, Pakistan People’s Party leader and former prime minister Raja Pervez Ashraf said that the opposition’s objection to Deputy Speaker Suri was with respect to the hasty legislation done under his nose.

He told the media that the opposition leaders had conveyed to NA Speaker Asad Qaiser their complaints against the deputy speaker in their meeting with him today (Thursday).

He further said the speaker had assured the opposition that the government would consider revisiting the legislation done when Suri was in the chair. “And if the government takes back the legislation, the opposition too will reciprocate by withdrawing the no-trust motion to be moved against NA Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri,” he disclosed.

Govt, opposition agree on smooth conduct of NA sessions:

Later, talking to the media, Minister for Defence Pervez Khattak appealed to members of the National Assembly (MNAs) to demonstrate ‘good behaviour’ during the budget session.

He said it had been agreed between both the opposition and treasury benches that now NA sessions would be held in a cordial atmosphere.

He informed that it had also been agreed that a committee would be formed to make the speaker more powerful.

Speaking on the occasion, Federal Minister for Information Fawad Chaudhry said that the hooliganism being witnessed on the NA floor for the past few days had brought a bad name to the reputation of politicians. “Reining in the party leaders is the responsibility of each party’s high command,” he observed.

Fawad further said both the ruling PTI and opposition had concurred that speeches to be delivered during the NA sessions would be devoid of pungent and insulting remarks.