LAHORE – The joint opposition efforts of Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) onSaturday suffered a major blow as Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N)decided that its members of National Assembly would take oath and sit onopposition benches.

The decision was taken during a meeting of the PML-N leader at party’scentral office in Model Town.

During the meeting, the top brass of the PML-N while turning down MMAleader Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s proposal, termed it harmful to thedemocratic process and suggested that the party should instead registerprotest against “rigging” in the polls.

The PML-N also decided to play the role of a strong opposition.

The PPP had already decided to join the parliament and raised the riggingissue in the parliament.

On Friday, main political parties rejected the outcome of elections won bycricket star Imran Khan and announced protests demanding new polls, afterforeign observers criticised the pivotal vote over rigging allegations.

The announcement by the All Parties Conference (APC), including theoutgoing Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), is a fresh obstacle to powerfor Khan on a day when delayed results finally showed he had won anemphatic victory — though he will need to seek a coalition to form agovernment.