ISLAMABAD: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s address to the joint session of the parliament – to be held next week – has been boycotted by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
The “party leadership” made the decision at a meeting held at chairman Imran Khan’s residence – Banigala – on Saturday.
PTI vice chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi said that the party will not attend the session uner the “controversial” prime minister, who faces charges of corruption.
The government has planned to assemble a joint parliament session on Nov 17 so that the Turkish president can address ministers as Erdogan will arrive in Pakistan for a two-day visit next week.
Qureshi said that the PTI has great respect for the Turkish president and considered Turkey a “sincere friend” of the country. However, the PTI leader said that his party had a clear perspective on the Panama Leaks issue – currently being heard by a Supreme Court bench headed by Chief Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali.
The party leader said that the party will inform Erdogan of their decision to stay away from parliament and will discuss prospects for improved ties between Turkey and Pakistan. “We want to pay a courtesy call on the Turkish president during his stay in the country,” he said.
He said that the party will constantly boycott the parliament until a decision in the Panama Papers case is announced. He added that the boycott on the joint session is because of the prime minister not Erdogan.
The PML-N leadership does not seem very optimistic about PTI changing its stance on attending the meeting.
