Several Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) senators on Thursday stepped down from their respective senate standing committees following directives from the party’s founder, Imran Khan.
These senators include Fouzia Arshad, Falak Naz, Aon Abbas Buppi, Mohammad Humayun Mohmand, Dost Muhammad, Zeeshan Khanzada, Azam Khan Swati, Ali Zafar and PTI-backedMirza Muhammad Afridi.
The move comes as part of the former ruling party’s political strategy, which also includes boycotting upcoming by-elections. Last month, PTI lawmakers resigned from the standing committees of the National Assembly on Khan’s order.
Swati stepped down from Senate standing committees on cabinet secretariat, economic affairs, law and justice, national health services, regulation and coordination, and rules of procedure and privileges.
Dost Muhammad resigned from the Senate committees on the government assurances, human rights, national food security and research, poverty alleviation and social safety, and railways.
Khanzada tendered his resignation from the committees on overseas Pakistanis and the human resource department, foreign affairs, finance, commerce, and privatisation.
Afridi resigned from commerce, federal education and professional training, inter-provincial coordination, industrial and production, and power committees.
Buppi stepped down from committees on industries and production, poverty alleviation and social safety, religious affairs and interfaith harmony, defence production, and information and broadcasting.
Mohmand resigned from parliamentary affairs, human rights, national health services and regulation, water resources, information technology and telecommunication.
Falak Naz stepped down from committees on federal education and professional training, economic affairs, climate change, and problems of less developed areas.
Zafar resigned from the Senate committee on information and broadcasting and others.
Last month, at least 18 PTI lawmakers, including its Chairman Gohar Ali Khan, resigned from the National Assembly committees, in line with the directions of the party’s founder.
The PTI chairman had quit four key committees in the lower house of parliament. He was serving on the committees for Law and Justice, Human Rights, Information Technology, and the House Business Advisory.