On Wednesday, Omar Ayub, the opposition leader in the National Assembly and a member of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), led a walkout from the session, demanding the release of imprisoned PTI leaders, including Imran Khan, and an end to alleged threats against party members.
The session began with Deputy Speaker Syed Mir Ghulam Mustafa Shah’s announcement, but immediately after, PTI member Iqbal Afridi raised a quorum issue, causing a 15-minute adjournment.
Speaking to the media, Ayub condemned the government’s actions, saying, “We will not participate in this session until Imran Khan and PTI workers are freed, and the threats against our members cease.” He also accused the government of coercing PTI’s members in Punjab to resign under pressure.
Several political parties, except Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (F), supported the opposition’s walkout. Ayub and his colleagues called for the immediate release of PTI members, warning that they would not return to the assembly until their demands were met.
During the session, Ayub also questioned the absence of key ministers, pointing out that only one minister of state and one federal minister were present. “Where are the other ministers?” he asked, stressing the need for them to address the opposition’s concerns.
This walkout added to the growing tensions in the National Assembly, where opposition parties were pressing for the release of their leaders and more political freedoms for their members.
Meanwhile, PTI founder Imran Khan deferred his call for a civil disobedience movement, his sister Aleema Khan said on Tuesday. After visiting Imran in Adiala Jail, she told the media that her brother had warned of asking overseas Pakistanis to halt remittances if two conditions weren’t met: a judicial inquiry into the incidents of May 9, 2023, and November 26, 2024, and the release of PTI workers.
Aleema revealed that overseas Pakistanis had expressed willingness to stop sending money, but PTI advised Imran Khan to wait a few more days before taking decisive action to avoid harming the country. Imran Khan, she said, was in distress and would continue pushing for these demands.
Earlier, Imran had announced the possibility of a civil disobedience movement starting on December 14, and a five-member committee was formed to negotiate with the government. However, the government rejected the idea of talks under threat of civil disobedience. Ministers urged PTI to create a more conducive environment for dialogue and withdraw the threat.
Defense Minister Khawaja Asif rejected the PTI’s negotiation committee, calling it “meaningless” and criticizing the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government for its marches on Islamabad. PTI’s Sher Afzal Marwat emphasized that dialogue and national unity were essential to address the current crisis, and such efforts would only succeed if there was a clear agenda.
In response to Marwat’s points, Rana Sanaullah, political adviser to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, said the government was open to talks but insisted that PTI engage through formal channels, particularly the Speaker’s office. He stressed the importance of healthy dialogue for a strong democratic system.
As tensions mounted, Khawaja Asif pointed out that formal negotiations had not yet started, urging PTI to prioritize constitutional duties over political conflicts. He called for an environment of goodwill and warned that threats would only worsen relations.
During the session, PTI lawmakers expressed their willingness to negotiate but emphasized they would not “beg” for talks. They also condemned the government’s crackdown on PTI protests in Islamabad on November 26.
Earlier on Tuesday, PTI leader Asad Qaiser, former Speaker of the National Assembly, revealed that he was under pressure to resign. He claimed that PTI members were being harassed by the “establishment government” and that raids were taking place at PTI members’ homes in Punjab. He warned that if forced resignations continued, the assembly would be rendered dysfunctional. He also criticized the lack of progress from the special committee formed to address these concerns.
