Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Monday decided to revisit its decision on planned boycott of the joint sitting of the Parliament at the request of Turkish ambassador to Pakistan Sadik Babür Girgin. The latest change of mind decision came after senior PTI leader Shah Mehmood Qureshi's meeting with Turkish Ambassador Sadik Babür Girgin on Monday, where the former desired to have a separate meeting with the Turkish President of the PTI leadership during his visit to Pakistan.
There, Turkish ambassador requested the PTI leaders to reconsider their decision regarding the boycott of the joint sitting of the Parliament and attend the session as both Pakistan and Turkey enjoy cordial relations. After the meeting, Qureshi told media persons that the Turkish Ambassador has advised the PTI to revisit its boycott decision. He said that Pakistan and Turkey enjoy brotherly relations and the PTI's decision to skip the session should not be misinterpreted at the international level.
He also advised the government to avoid point-scoring on the issue and instead address the concerns raised by the opposition, especially the PTI, which has always been working to help strengthen democracy in the country. A senior PTI leader said that the party had convened a meeting to review its decision after the request made by the Turkish Ambassador urged them not to boycott the joint sitting during Turkish President's address.
PTI Chairman Imran Khan had earlier announced that his party legislators would boycott the upcoming joint sitting of the Parliament, as they could not attend the legislature in the presence of, what he called, a controversial prime minister. The session is being summoned especially for the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who will address the joint session of the Parliament this week.