The constitutional amendment package aimed at significant judicial reforms is scheduled for presentation in Parliament today; however, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has announced a boycott of the “controversial legislative process.” Imran Khan’s party has opted out of what it describes as a “non-transparent” process regarding the 26th constitutional amendment, coinciding with critical votes in Parliament.
PTI’s Political Committee issued a statement on social media early in the morning, announcing a total boycott of the voting in both the Senate and National Assembly. This decision stems from ongoing legislative delays associated with the proposed judicial reforms, reflecting the party’s concerns about the integrity of the process.
Read more: Coalition Allies Target Passing 26th Constitutional Amendments
The 26th constitutional amendment bill is expected to be discussed in Parliament after several postponements. The Senate session will begin at 3 PM, while the National Assembly is set to convene at 6 PM. Additionally, the federal cabinet will meet at 3 PM to deliberate on the legislation, with Law Minister Attaullah Tarar indicating that cabinet members would finalize their opinions by 2:30 PM.
The PTI, led by its imprisoned leader, has firmly opposed any party members in the National Assembly or Senate participating in the voting process. The political committee has reiterated its commitment to party discipline, while JUI-F leader Maulana Fazl is expected to respond to PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s request for a vote on the constitutional amendment today, following PTI’s appeal for more time to finalize their response.
Discussions on the constitutional amendments have been ongoing for four weeks, with some changes anticipated in the key features of the draft approved by the special parliamentary committee.
