Islamabad: The Opposition’s Pakistan Democratic Movement on Friday announced a boycott of the joint parliamentary session due on Monday next week.

The announcement was made after a meeting of the PDM’s steering committee. The meeting was attended by PML-N’s Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Ahsan Iqbal, Marriyum Aurangzeb, JUI-F’s Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Owais Noorani, Akram Khan Durrani, Hafiz Hamdullah, Qaumi Watan Party chief Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao and Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party chief Mahmood Khan Achakzai.

Hafiz Hamdullah spoke to the media following the meeting to announce the decision.

“PDM stands with media organisations and will continue to stand by them,” he said.

He said that what had occurred earlier in the day during a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Parliamentary Affairs was “non-parliamentary” and “non democratic”.

“Babar Awan and Azam Swati has insulted the Election Commission and the Parliament,” Hamdullah said.