ISLAMABAD: PTI on Friday once again boycotted the proceedings of the National Assembly (NA) and announced support for the Sept 8 shutter-down strike call given by Balochistan National Party (BNP) and Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) in Balochistan.

Following the boycott, the main opposition party held a ‘people’s assembly’ outside the Parliament House and urged the judiciary to take up PTI’s appeals against the passage of 26th Constitutional Amendment. They termed the ame­ndment “a tool to suppress and und­ermine the judiciary”.

“The people’s assembly backs shu­tter-down strike call of BNP chief Akhtar Mengal and PkMAP Pre­s­ident Mehmood Achakzai to be obs­erved on Sept 8 in Balochsitan,” said a resolution passed by the gathering.

The resolution, presented by PTI Chairman Barrister Ali Gohar, rej­ected what it called “hybrid regime” and demanded lifting of curbs imp­osed on judiciary so that it could hear appeals filed against 26th Con­stitutional Amendment.

It also demanded suspension of Afghan refugees’ repatriation process in view of prevailing instability in neighbouring Afghanistan. The resolution further endorsed the recent speech of Supreme Court judge Justice Athar Minallah.

Former NA speaker Asad Qaisar said no people-friendly legislation was being carried out in the parliament.

Published in Dawn, September 6th, 2025