PTI ties 28th Amendment support to Imran Khan's release

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf parliamentary party has decided to support the proposed 28th Constitutional Amendment only if party founder Imran Khan is released, ARY News reported from Islamabad, citing sources.

According to the report, the decision was taken at a parliamentary party meeting where a majority of participants backed linking PTI's support for the amendment to Khan's release. The meeting was held at Parliament House and lasted seven hours.

The meeting decided to form a six-member steering committee to address matters related to access to Imran Khan and his medical treatment. Opposition leaders Mahmood Khan Achakzai and Allama Raja Nasir Abbas will head the committee, ARY News reported. The committee will also negotiate with the government and relevant individuals to resolve these matters. It will include two National Assembly members and two senators, with one representative each from Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The session was tense. Several PTI lawmakers left the committee room amid heated exchanges, the report said. Faisal Amin Khan, brother of Ali Amin Gandapur, walked out in anger and shut the committee room door forcefully. PTI MNA Khawaja Sheraz also left the committee room; when other members called out to him, he said he would return after answering a phone call. Ali Muhammad Khan and Shehryar Afridi also left the meeting. Ali Muhammad Khan told a journalist he would return after taking a call, while Afridi said he was going to offer prayers.

According to sources cited by ARY News, the meeting discussed internal differences, negotiations with the government and preparations for a long march. The report did not set out the contents of the proposed amendment or say when it would be put to a vote.

Separately, The News International reported that Ahsan ruled out the 28th Amendment for new provinces.