PTI ends boycott of Parliament

PTI chairman, MNAs to attend joint session of Parliament on Yemen tomorrow

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf announced on Sunday an end to their boycott of Parliament after more than seven months.

“We have decided that we will go to assemblies from tomorrow onwards,” the PTI chairman said, while addressing the media after the party's core committee meeting.

Imran said members of the National Assembly (MNAs), including him, are set to attend a joint session of Parliament on the Yemen crisis, scheduled for Monday.

“The PTI will attend the joint session of Parliament tomorrow and I will give my stance regarding the Yemen issue.”

The decision came during PTI's core committee meeting at party chairman Imran Khan’s residence in Bani Gala.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Thursday called a joint session of Parliament on April 6 to consider whether Pakistan should join the Saudi-led military campaign in Yemen.

Read: Saudi-led coalition: PM calls joint session of Parliament to discuss Yemen crisis on Monday

The premier assured that all decisions pertaining to the conflict would be taken in accordance to the wishes of the people of Pakistan.

Earlier, Imran urged the government to act as a peace broker in the Saudi-led military campaign against Houthi rebels in Yemen. “Pakistan should act as a peacemaker instead of becoming a party in a crisis between two Muslim states,” he had said.

Read: Yemen crisis: PTI chief urges govt to act as peace broker

Further, he insisted the government spell out its policy on providing military assistance to Saudi Arabia.

The PTI has boycotted Parliament for months. However, PTI representatives will sit in the upper house of Parliament.

According to a senior PTI official, the decision to attend the joint session of Parliament had already been taken but the official announcement was to be made after the party’s core committee meeting held today.

He said as per the agreement with the government, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar had assured the PTI delegation of managing the presidential ordinance till April 4. In response, PTI’s Shah Mahmood Qureshi gave him the assurance of announcing to end the party’s boycott of assemblies.

Read: Electoral rigging: Ordinance issued for judicial probe

A close aide of Imran Khan said there still were a few dissenting voices; some believed the announcement should have been made after the judicial commission was formed. Further, it was earlier reported senior party leaders had advised Imran Khan to stay away from Parliament for some more time to avoid frontal attacks from other opposition parties.