Eight PTI MPAs step down from Punjab Assembly committees

The wave of resignations from standing committees by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf lawmakers continues, following directives from party founder Imran Khan, as eight PTI members have now resigned from their committee roles in the Punjab Assembly.

According to Express News, Hafiz Farhat Abbas became the latest to step down on Friday, resigning from the Standing Committees on Environment and Home Affairs.

In a related development, MPA Ahmar Rasheed Bhatti tendered his resignation from multiple Punjab Assembly committees, stepping down from the panels on Energy, Law Enforcement, and Legislation.

He also resigned from the committees on Planning and Development, Labour and Human Resource, as well as the Business Advisory and Ethics Committee. His resignation has been submitted to the Speaker’s Office.

Read More: Imran Khan orders PTI lawmakers to quit Punjab Assembly committees

His departure brings the total number of PTI lawmakers who have relinquished their committee positions to eight. Earlier, other PTI members, including Sana Karimi, Rana Shehbaz, Owais Wark, Malik Mumtaz Farukh Javed Moon and Sheikh Imtiaz, had also resigned from their respective committees.

The resignations follow Imran Khan’s instructions for all PTI lawmakers to withdraw from standing committees across the Punjab Assembly.

Confirming the directive on Thursday, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan said the party currently holds chairmanships in 14 committees and that Khan has issued “clear instructions for a collective withdrawal.”

Opposition Leader in the Punjab Assembly Moeen Riaz Qureshi had also instructed PTI members to submit their resignations in line with the party founder’s decision.