Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, a senior leader of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), has stepped down from four key National Assembly committees in accordance with the instructions of the party’s founder, Imran Khan. This resignation is part of a broader strategy, with at least 18 PTI lawmakers having followed suit, marking a significant shift in the party’s political approach.
On Thursday, Barrister Gohar resigned from the National Assembly committees on Law and Justice, Human Rights, Information Technology, and the House Business Advisory. This move is part of a series of resignations that have taken place since the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) disqualified numerous PTI leaders in connection with the May 9, 2023, riots.
So far, 18 PTI lawmakers, including prominent figures such as Faisal Amin Gandapur, Shaharyar Afridi, and Sheikh Waqas Akram, have resigned from various standing committees. The resignations come as part of the PTI’s broader political strategy, which also includes boycotting the upcoming by-elections set to take place in the coming months.
The resignations started after the ECP disqualified many PTI leaders for their involvement in the May 9 riots, a decision that sparked significant unrest within the party. Alongside Barrister Gohar, several other lawmakers have relinquished their positions on committees. For example, MNAs Ali Asghar and Sajid Khan have stepped down from their respective committees, with Asghar vacating positions on the Cabinet, Privatisation, and Planning committees, and Sajid Khan resigning from the Overseas, National Heritage, and Kashmir-related committees.
In addition, Faisal Amin Gandapur withdrew from the Economic Affairs, Food Security, and Parliamentary Task Force committees, while Shahid Khattak, Asif Khan, and Junaid Akbar Khan also tendered their resignations from various NA bodies.
Furthermore, PTI has made it clear that it will not participate in the upcoming by-elections in constituencies where its members have been disqualified. The party has declared those disqualified members as the “true representatives” of their constituencies.
This series of actions also follows Imran Khan’s direction to PTI leaders to resign from the Judicial Commission, deeming their participation ineffective. Barrister Gohar and Senator Ali Zafar are among the party’s representatives on this commission.
As political tensions escalate, the ruling allies—Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP)—are preparing to contest the by-elections nationwide, with both parties announcing their joint participation.
