Islamabad, Aug 22: Pakistan's Opposition staged their second boycott of Parliament in a week today, drawing out a protest against President Pervez Musharraf that has crippled the nine-month old legislature. Lawmakers from several opposition parties, which hold 148 of the house's 342 seats, walked out of the National Assembly just after the opening of today's session.

Opposition lawmakers also boycotted Wednesday night's session, which marked the resumption of parliament after a six-week recess called by the government to negotiate a compromise.

Opposition parties are trying to force General Musharraf, who seized power in a 1999 coup, to give up sweeping powers he awarded himself last year and to quit his dual posts as army chief and president.

Opposition leaders said there would be no let-up in the disruptions.
"The joint opposition will continue its boycott of proceedings till the LFO issue is resolved," Pakistan People's Party (PPP) parliamentary leader Makhdoom Amin Fahim told reporters.

"Musharraf wants to impose his dictatorship on the Parliament, but he will have to go," Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz MP Javed Hashmi told reporters.

Analysts said that Musharraf was being pushed into a corner by the Opposition's resilience.

"The political crisis is intensifying. The situation is very uncertain for all and anything can happen," analyst Aslam Sheikh told news agencies.
Bureau Report