PTI to boycott by-elections in constituencies of disqualified lawmakers

Islamabad (Web Desk): Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has announced to boycott the upcoming by-elections in constituencies where its members were disqualified in the May 9, 2023 cases.

However, the party will contest the by-election in NA-129 Lahore, a seat left vacant due to the passing of Mian Azhar.

The decision was made during a meeting of the party’s political committee, after which an official statement was released.

As per the statement PTI’s founder Imran Khan expressed gratitude to the political committee for their continued trust, emphasizing that all future political decisions will now be made through this consultative body.

The statement added that the PTI considers the disqualified members as the true representatives of the party.

“The party maintains that the disqualifications and subsequent legal actions were unjust, and therefore, it has decided to boycott the by-elections in those constituencies as a mark of protest,” the statement added.

A tribute was also paid to these members for their commitment and sacrifices.

Despite the overall boycott, PTI has decided to participate in the by-election in Lahore’s NA-129 constituency, which became vacant after the death of veteran politician Mian Muhammad Azhar.

The party has confirmed that it will nominate a candidate for this seat and actively campaign for the election.

The statement also expressed serious concerns regarding the ongoing Toshakhana reference hearings being conducted on a daily basis at Adiala Jail.

PTI argued that such an approach not only obstructs the course of justice but also infringes upon the fundamental rights of the accused.

Furthermore, in line with instructions from party founder Imran Khan, PTI has announced its withdrawal from the National Assembly’s (NA) Public Accounts Committee.

All party members have also been directed to resign immediately from the chairmanship and memberships of all standing committees.

Meanwhile, several PTI MNAs have stepped down from their roles in various parliamentary committees, signaling a possible shift in the party's parliamentary engagement. Among them, Faisal Amin Khan, who is the brother of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, has resigned from all his positions in the National Assembly's standing committees.

His resignations include roles in the Standing Committee on Economic Affairs, the Standing Committee on National Food Security, and the Parliamentary Task Force on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). He formally submitted his resignation to the party’s Chief Whip, Amir Dogar.

In a similar move, another PTI MNA, Asif Khan, also resigned from his responsibilities on the National Assembly’s standing committees. His resignation was addressed directly to the Speaker of the National Assembly, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq.