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ISLAMABAD: Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly Syed Khursheed Ahmed Shah Tuesday urged the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government to take US President Donald Trump’s statement about Pakistan seriously and react on it effectively.

The opposition leader expressed these views while speaking on the floor of the National Assembly. He said that the opposition is helpless and speaking about the US President Donald Trump while the government is mum. He said that the Pakistani nation is a peaceful nation. He said that the Foreign Office should give strong reaction to the US President’s statement. “The government should not sit and wait but it must give reaction immediately,” he said.

While responding to the opposition leader, Federal Minister for States and Frontier Regions (SAFRON) Lt Gen Abdul Qadir Baloch (retd) said that the government would give some reaction on the statement of US President Donald Trump.

Earlier, the Opposition Leader severely criticized the government for the thin attendance on treasury benches. The opposition leader expressed resentment over continuous absence of government ministers in the assembly, saying it’s embarrassing to see low quorum. “The opposition is fully cooperating with the government but the government itself is not taking parliament seriously,” he complained. He also suggested to punish government ministers for being absent from the National Assembly sessions.

He said that the government is non-serious and first rows of the House often remain vacant. At this time, there are 14 treasury members and 6 opposition members present in the House, he said. He said that some ministers out of 53 are present in the house while the government is going to make important legislation. “What message do we want to give from this attitude? Already black clouds are hovering on the Parliament. Those members who are not attending the sessions are weakening the Parliament,” he said. He continued, “The nation sends us to the Parliament but we break their trust.”