Opposition Boycotts National Assembly Proceedings Over Imran Khan’s Detention

Islamabad: The opposition, led by PTI’s Leader of the Opposition, Omar Ayub, staged a walkout from the National Assembly session on Tuesday, demanding the release of Imran Khan and PTI workers, as well as the cessation of threats to opposition members regarding resignation.
Omar Ayub announced that the opposition members would not participate in the assembly’s proceedings until their political demands were met. He emphasized that the party would not rejoin the sessions until former Prime Minister Imran Khan and PTI supporters were freed, and the government ceased its threats of forcing resignation upon party members.
The session, chaired by Deputy Speaker Syed Mir Ghulam Mustafa Shah, was delayed due to a quorum issue, with PTI member Iqbal Afridi pointing out the absence of required members. The Deputy Speaker called a 15-minute recess.
Omar Ayub also questioned the absence of ministers in the lower house of parliament, highlighting that only one minister of state and one federal minister were present, while the others were missing.
The opposition, except for JUI-F, decided to walk out of the session after their demands were ignored. Ayub, addressing the issue, accused the government of physically assaulting PTI members in Punjab. He reiterated that the opposition would not participate in the proceedings unless their core demands were met.
Meanwhile, in a separate development, the Digital Nation Bill was discussed in the National Assembly, leading to concerns from members over its sudden introduction. Arbab Alam questioned the expedited process, stating that the bill appeared out of nowhere and was introduced in the assembly without prior committee discussions. Zulfiqar Bhatti also raised concerns, noting that the 17-member commission tasked with the bill lacked any private members, leading to fears of hasty decisions on significant legislation.