Following directives from their founder, Imran Khan, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmakers have begun resigning from their positions on parliamentary standing committees. This move is part of the party’s broader political strategy, which also includes a planned boycott of upcoming by-elections.
Several MNAs, including Ali Asghar, Sajid Khan, Shahid Khattak, Faisal Amin Khan, and Asif Khan, have all submitted their resignations from various National Assembly committees.
Asghar stepped down from the Cabinet, Privatisation, and Planning committees, while Sajid Khan resigned from the Overseas, National Heritage, and Kashmir-related committees, stating he would even vacate his assembly seat if instructed by Khan.
Faisal, who is the brother of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, left the Economic Affairs, Food Security, and Parliamentary Task Force committees. Khattak announced his withdrawal from all standing committees, and Asif resigned from the Education, National Heritage, Culture, and Information and Broadcasting committees.
In a separate but related move, Junaid Akbar resigned as chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, submitting his resignation to the party’s chief whip, Amir Dogar, in line with the PTI political committee’s directive. Party sources have confirmed that National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq has received the resignations of both Faisal and Ali.
PTI spokesperson Sheikh Waqas Akram has also resigned from all National Assembly standing committees, sending his resignation directly to NA Speaker Sadiq.
Sources also indicate that Khan has instructed PTI leaders to quit the Judicial Commission, deeming the party’s participation ineffective. While PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Khan and Senator Ali Zafar are part of the commission, sources say Barrister Gohar has so far declined to step down.
In 2023, the PTI had dissolved the provincial assemblies in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as a form of protest against the then-PDM-led federal government. The PTI has also announced its intention to boycott the upcoming by-elections in constituencies where its members were disqualified in the May 9 cases, declaring these individuals as its “true representatives.”
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) recently disqualified several PTI lawmakers after they were convicted in cases related to the May 9 riots, leaving their constituencies open. In response, the ruling allies—Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP)—announced that they will jointly contest the upcoming by-elections nationwide.
