Islamabad, June 06: Pakistan's opposition parties agitating against President Pervez Musharraf's constitutional amendments have decided to block the passage of the federal budget tomorrow, setting the stage for another showdown with the government. "The agitation will continue in parliament in the same way," acting president of the Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N), Javed Hashmi said adding they are ready to face any police action.

"The combined opposition is bound by its previous decision not to allow any legislative business in parliament until a settlement was reached on the legal framework order," Pakistan Peoples Party spokesman Farhatullah Babar said.

But a final decision on the strategy to be adopted during the budget sessions of the National Assembly and the Senate would be taken by a joint meeting of the leaders of opposition parliamentary groups tomorrow, he said.

However, he said: "The game will be different" if the government succeeds in winning over any oppositon group.

The six-month long agitation by the opposition has effectively presented the passage of any bill by the legislature.

The opposition parties hope to re-enact the same scene when Finance Minister Shoukar Aziz presents the first budget of Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali government in the afternoon tomorrow.

Bureau Report