ISLAMABAD – Opposition’s prolonged boycott of parliamentary bodies to put pressure on the government has actually given a free-hand to the ruling parties to pass bills, adjust audit paras without any resistance for the last eight months. Though this absence of the opposition from the standing committee is a new parliamentary record, it has enabled the government to easily approve legislative business from the standing committees and adjust audit paras.
The government is now set to enjoy this liberty in the legislation of finance bills 2026-27, as no opposition members will be there to oppose the recommendations for the next financial year, background discussions with senior parliamentarians revealed. The lawmakers from the opposition –PTI- had decided to quit the chairmanship of several National Assembly standing committees and Public Accounts Committee implementing the directives of the PTI leadership.
The decision was taken to put pressure on the government to stop parliamentary business but the government’s side had put no heed on it. The PTI, before it’s boycott, was holding representation in 29 standing committees with eight members chairing the committees.
“Although the decision was taken to create disturbance, it has actually made the government’s task easy,” said an opposition member, desiring not to be named. A large number of members in the internal party’s meeting termed it an undemocratic decision which will rather prove in the favour of the government. “It seems the opposition was trapped to adopt this strategy,” commented a member from PTI. When contacted, senior opposition member Riaz Fatiyana admitted that there was no check on the government’s actions for the last eight months.
“The government will definitely enjoy this liberty in the legislation of the upcoming federal budget 2026-27.“Though, we respect the decision of the party but the ruling clique are taking advantage of this decision,” he commented. Parliamentary gurus and legal experts viewed that the opposition had already made the adventure in the past by tendering en masse resignations from the parliament.
However, the Speaker National Assembly had refused to accept their resignation and the PTI’s made a political summersault by rejoining the parliament.
Constitutional experts believed that this political move of leaving the political platforms never went in the favour of any political party. The resignations and boycotts had never affected the legislative process in the national assembly/Senate as the legislation is approved on the basis majority in the house.
With the 27thconstitutional package, the treasury benches in the last year also managed to pass nearly 50 bills with its numerical strength. Over 50 private bills were introduced and half dozen were passed from the parliament. This legislative business remained unopposed from the standing committees due to absence of the opposition members.
