Ousted PM, PTI members resign en masse from National Assembly

Resignations come just minutes before the election of PML-N president as the 23rd prime minister of the country

Former prime minister Imran Khan on Monday tendered his resignation as a member of the National Assembly, a day after his ouster as the prime minister by the lower house of parliament through a no-confidence vote.

The former ruling party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), posted the resignation of the party's chairman in a Twitter post today.

Chairman PTI @ImranKhanPTI’s resignation as MNA from the seat of National Assembly NA-95. #امپورٹڈ_حکومت_نامنظور pic.twitter.com/zyFAehX0W5

— PTI (@PTIofficial) April 11, 2022

Earlier today, the PTI announced it was resigning from the National Assembly minutes before the scheduled election of the new prime minister, paving the way for Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif to secure the coveted slot.

The decision was reached at a parliamentary meeting of the party chaired by Imran Khan, at the Parliament House this afternoon.

"The parliamentary party has decided to resign from the assemblies against the imported government," PTI Central Information Secretary Farrukh Habib confirmed in a Twitter post.

پارلیمانی پارٹی نے #امپورٹڈ_حکومت_نامنظور کیخلاف اسمبلیوں سے استعفے دینے کا فیصلہ کیا ہے۔ ہم اس امپورٹد حکومت کو نہیں مانتے۔

— Farrukh Habib (@FarrukhHabibISF) April 11, 2022

As soon as the announcement was made, Murad Saeed resigned as MNA, making his the first resignation from the party.

جن کی حرصِ زر، ہوس اقتدار نے میری قوم کو “بھکاری” بنایا۔ جن کی غلامانہ زہنیت نے میرے گھروں کو مقتل گاہ، میرے لوگوں کو پناہگزین میری ماں کو زندہ درگور کردیا میں ان کو اس ملک کا سربراہ مانوں؟ absolutely not یہ فیصلہ فقط میرا نہیں میرے ملک کی ۲۲ کروڑ عوام کا بھی ہے pic.twitter.com/Mqln6tfVGe

— Murad Saeed (@MuradSaeedPTI) April 11, 2022

Soon after, PTI's Ali Haider Zaidi also announced his resignation, saying he had submitted the same to Imran Khan.

"No way we should legitimise this foreign-funded regime change in Pakistan. The battle for the sovereignty of Pakistan will now be decided on the streets by the people, not these looters," he said in a tweet.

Submitted my resignation from NA to Chairman @ImranKhanPTI
No way we should legitimise this foreign funded regime change in Pakistan.
The battle for the sovereignty of Pakistan will now be decided on the streets by the people, not the these looters. #امپورٹڈ_گورنمنٹ_نامنظور pic.twitter.com/wdhtqauOje

— Ali Haider Zaidi (@AliHZaidiPTI) April 11, 2022

The party's Amin Gandapur was next to step down from his post. "I am proud to be a follower of Imran Khan and will fight till my death for the freedom of Pakistan and parliament," he said.

Hammad Azhar, Shireen Mazari, and Shafaqt Mahmood also resigned from their respective posts.

A day earlier, former information minister Fawad Chaudhry had announced resigning en masse from the National Assembly in protest against the nomination of the PML-N president.

He had also said that the decision to quit from the NA was the first step, saying resignations from provincial assemblies would be decided later.