ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Tuesday staged a walkout from the National Assembly and convened an informal ‘Awami Assembly’ outside the gate of Parliament House.
Acting on the instructions of party founder Imran Khan, PTI leaders and lawmakers — joined by members of other opposition parties — marked their attendance inside the National Assembly before walking out in accordance with party policy. The parallel session was presided over by former National Assembly speaker Asad Qaiser.
During the gathering, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan presented and read out a resolution, which was subsequently adopted by participants. Several party members addressed the assembly, criticising what they described as discriminatory treatment of PTI leadership and legislators both inside and outside the legislature.
Barrister Gohar lamented the alleged rigging during last year’s general elections, claiming PTI’s mandate was “stolen” and their National Assembly representation unjustly reduced to just 76 seats through “illegal disqualifications.” “Our voices are being silenced, and we are being denied the right to speak on the floor of the assembly,” he charged. The adopted resolution expressed full solidarity with the victims of recent flooding in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab, as well as those affected by the recent earthquake in Afghanistan.
Meanwhile, as many as 28 additional PTI MNAs have resigned from National Assembly standing committees, bringing the total number of resignations to nearly 50. The mass resignations are seen as a protest against the alleged marginalisation of PTI lawmakers in parliamentary processes.