The majority of PTI members are resigning from membership and chairmanship of all standing committees in the National Assembly on the instructions of party chairman Imran Khan, NA member Sanaullah Khan Mastikhel said on Wednesday.
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) in July and August disqualified a large number of PTI members and leaders in relation to their involvement in the May 9, 2023 riots against Imran’s arrest, sparking protests in the NA.
The resignation announcement took place following a meeting of PTI’s political committee that ended at 3:30am this morning, according to Mastikhel.
The MNA today said that PTI members were resigning from memberships and chairmanships of all standing committees.
“PTI has resigned from the PAC (Public Accounts Committee) and other committees,” he said in a video announcement before the Public Accounts Committee meeting, adding that political matters would be handed over to the political committee for further consultation.
According to the opposition leader’s chamber, the decision on resignations had been made, and members, including Junaid Akbar, had written their resignations, but the resignations had not been formally submitted to the speaker as yet.
Mastikhel added that the resignation from the committees was decided on the instructions of Imran after a meeting of four and a half hours, extending his thanks to the PTI founder for reposing his full trust in the political committee.
“As the decision was taken in the late hours of the night, today we also have a parliamentary party meeting … whatever Mr Khan orders, we will follow accordingly,” he said.
Mastikhel also added that the second decision made by the political committee was to field a candidate in the vacant seat of the late Mian Azhar’s constituency following his death.
The late Azhar’s son, Hammad Azhar, clarified in a post on X yesterday that the decision to boycott by-elections was due to the PTI members in those areas being “unjustly disqualified”, while the matter of Mian Azhar’s natural death was a different case, according to Imran.
“He (Imran) also said that due to the demise, someone from Mian Azhar’s family or a candidate nominated by Hammad Azhar will contest the election from here,” Hammad added.
Chairman Junaid Akbar did not attend the PAC meeting today, where the Cabinet Division, Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) and National Electric Power Regulatory Authority’s (Nepra) audit objections were under consideration. The meeting instead took place under the chairmanship of Naveed Qamar.
The Cabinet Division, Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) and National Electric Power Regulatory Authority’s (Nepra) audit objections are under consideration today.
The political committee expressed deep concern over the daily hearings related to the Toshakhana trial in Adiala Jail, saying they would “affect the fundamental rights of the accused” and create obstacles in the delivery of justice.
“The PTI considers the members disqualified in the May 9 cases as its true representatives,” the committee added, saying it would boycott by-elections being held in the constituencies of disqualified members.
According to the announcement, elections will be held in the NA-129 constituency of Lahore.
Earlier this month, members of the opposition party staged a vociferous protest in the NA against the continuing convictions of its leaders and subsequent disqualifications of its lawmakers.