ISLAMABAD: PTI’s parliamentary leader Senator Ali Zafar distanced the party from holding talks with the PPP on boycotting the federal budget voting, saying the fellow party leader Asad Qaiser’s move to do so was in his personal capacity.
When asked about the meeting between Qaiser with Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, he said it was the former NA speaker’s “personal choice” and not on the instructions of the party or Imran Khan.
“Nothing is official. There is no indication we are heading for an alliance,” he said during an appearance on Dawn News TV programme ‘Doosra Rukh’.
Former National Assembly speaker and PTI leader Asad Qaiser had told that PPP leader Abdul Qadir Patel, in his speech, said that his party will not support the money bill. He later contacted PPP leader and former prime minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf and sought support to block the bill.
Zafar said Qaiser took an initiative but it is does mean talks were held on a party level but rather between two MNAs.
He said the budget is riddled with inaccuracies and several parties are considering to refrain from voting, saying that the PTI has decided that it will not vote for the budget.
“We have already decided not to vote for the budget. If the PPP doesn’t vote then the budget won’t pass and government will be compelled to rectify,” he said.
He said the PPP claims it won’t support the budget but changes their stance. “Our stance is clear. We think the budget is anti-people and we support the public.”
Zafar said the statements by PPP senators and lawmakers suggesting they have reservations and won’t support the budget. “If any party is not supporting the budget then it’s welcoming but we have no contact to make a decision together,”
Regarding the PTI decision on the postpone the protest against the government, he said there has been no delay as the date wasn’t announced and the party needs to form a strategy and present it before the party founder.
