The alliance made it clear on Tuesday that opposition was ready to sit together with the government if the Federal Relief Commissioner (FRC) and Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority (ERRA) were put under the parliamentary committee.
Speaking at a joint press conference after staging walk out from the National Assembly, ARD central leader Raja Pervez Ashraf said the military was subservient of the civil government according to the Constitution.
"This is the complete failure of the government in the crisis. Let the popular leadership to come back in the country so they could help the quake stricken people," he added.
It may be recalled, while winding up debate on natural disaster, Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz had proposed a parliamentary committee headed by himself to lead and monitor relief and rehabilitation process in the quake-stricken areas.
When asked Raja Ashraf said ARD conditionally agreed to take part in the Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz's proposed committee. "First of all, it is very pathetic that parliamentary committee has been formed after 25 days of calamity. Secondly, there is no purpose of attending the meeting unless the exiled leadership is not allowed to come back," he replied.
He demanded of the government to take country's most popular leadership including Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif into confidence on all ongoing relief efforts and rehabilitation program.
Raja Pervez Ashraf, who is Secretary General of Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians, condemned the government's slow response to October-8 catastrophe. It was very unfortunate the correct figure of deaths and injured was not available even after the passage of 25 days of disaster, he regretted.
"This government has nothing to do with the common man. Only an elected leadership can feel the pain and agony of innocent people dying due to shivering weather," he deplored.
He went on saying that elected representatives should be the in-charge of relief and rehabilitation operations in the earthquake-hit areas. Raja said civilians instead of army men should undertake relief activities.
ARD leader asked government to cut defence budget to make more money available for reconstruction and rehabilitation of quake-hit people. He said the national reserves must also be used to make funds available for thousands of destitute victims who were at stake.
Commenting on the Prime Minister's speech, Pervez Ashraf said the speech had made it clear that Shaukat Aziz was also very helpless.
Speaking about their visit to the affected areas, Raja Pervez Ashraf assessed that 40 per cent areas were still out of reach and did not get any relief.
Talking to newsmen, Chaudhry Manzoor Ahmed said the lives of thousands of people were at a distance of one more rain.
The temperature in the affected areas had already been dipping down while thousands of shelterless still awaiting government relief under open sky, he said adding government had created a perception in the minds of people that it would provide them houses and they were relying on government's commitment.
MNAs Nayyar Hussain Bukhari, Begum Ishrat Ashraf, Zamurad Khan and others were also present on the occasion.