A joint parliamentary party meeting of PTI-led opposition parties in the National Assembly on Tuesday unanimously passed a resolution condemning the remarks of Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq against Opposition Leader Mehmood Khan Achakzai, labelling them as “inappropriate and biased”.
An emergency meeting of the opposition, held at Parliament House, discussed the current political, parliamentary and economic situation of the country, according to an announcement by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). The meeting unanimously passed a resolution condemning the speaker’s remarks against Achakzai, calling them inappropriate and biased.
Speaker’s Allegations and Opposition’s Response
Earlier in the day, Speaker Sadiq, while chairing a session of the Lower House, alleged that the Leader of the Opposition in the NA, Achakzai, was anti-state, anti-army and anti-judiciary, and sided with Afghanistan instead of Pakistan. The parliamentary party meeting said the speaker, as custodian of the House and protector of all members, was expected to remain impartial and patient, and act in accordance with constitutional requirements. However, participants argued that the speaker’s recent conduct appeared “irresponsible but also biased and unconstitutional”.
The lawmakers accused the incumbent government of consistently adopting an undemocratic approach towards the opposition. They claimed that opposition members were prevented from effectively presenting their views in the House, and efforts were made to suppress their voices. The participants described this behaviour as contrary to parliamentary traditions, democratic values and constitutional principles.
Rejection of Budget 2026-27
The meeting rejected the Budget 2026-27 passed by the National Assembly on Tuesday. They said the current budget was anti-people and failed to include effective measures to address problems faced by ordinary citizens, labourers, farmers, government employees, youth and low-income groups. “The government has attempted to conceal economic realities through manipulation of statistics and wording, while the facts on the ground present a different picture,” the opposition stated.
Demand for Release of Imran Khan and Political Prisoners
All members expressed serious concerns over what they described as the unjust and unlawful imprisonment of PTI chief Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi, demanding their immediate release. The meeting further demanded the release of all political prisoners detained in various prisons across the country and stressed that “politically motivated cases and retaliatory actions” should be ended in accordance with the requirements of justice.
Dispute Over Power of Attorney
Separately, PTI Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram rejected the claim of Adiala Jail administration about the signing of the power of attorney. On Monday, the Adiala Jail superintendent informed the Islamabad High Court that the counsel for the PTI founder and his wife attempted to mislead the court regarding the signing of the power of attorney in the Al Qadir Trust corruption case. In a response submitted to the court, the superintendent stated that the power of attorney was ready after being signed by both on June 16, but their lawyers deliberately did not obtain it before the hearing on June 18.
Salman Safdar, the counsel, had been repeatedly informing the court that the power of attorney could not be obtained due to procedural delays. He had sought adjournments on multiple occasions, citing inability to meet his clients at the jail. Akram in a statement claimed that the legal team made repeated visits to the jail over recent weeks and dispatched multiple formal communications, only to be turned away empty-handed each time. “Over the past six months, more than twenty power of attorney documents were sent to the jail administration, yet no meaningful response was provided until a contempt petition was filed in the Islamabad High Court on June 15,” he added. Even then, compliance came merely days before the contempt hearing and was deliberately partial, offering only Khan’s document while withholding Bibi’s. “This selective and belated action was rightly rejected by the legal team,” Akram said.
Rejection of Telecom Bill
On the proposed controversial Telecom Bill, PTI categorically rejected the legislation, calling it an unconstitutional measure that violated Articles 23 and 24 of the Constitution by undermining citizens’ rights to acquire, hold, and dispose of property. “The bill will grant private telecom companies sweeping and largely unchecked powers to access and utilize private land and property under the pretext of installing equipment, while shifting final decision-making authority from the courts to a government officer,” Akram said. He argued that this framework effectively legalised corporate encroachment and exposed ordinary citizens to harassment and protracted litigation. “The IT minister’s defence of the bill invites legitimate questions regarding transparency and possible conflict of interest. PTI demands a full and public clarification on these matters.”
