PTI boycotts by-elections in disqualified members' constituencies

• PTI decides to field candidate for NA-129 by-poll.
• Multiple PTI MNAs resign from NA standing committees.
• Party voices concern over Toshakhana case hearing in jail.
  

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has announced that it will boycott the upcoming by-elections in constituencies of party members disqualified in the May 9 cases, declaring those individuals its "true representatives."

Several constituencies are up for grabs as the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) recently disqualified several lawmakers belonging to the PTI following their convictions in cases related to the May 9 riots.

As per the ECP schedule, the by-elections will be staged in the NA-66 Wazirabad, NA-129 Lahore-XIII, and PP-87 Mianwali-III constituencies on September 18, while in NA-143 Sahiwal-lll, NA-185, DG Khan-ll, PP-203 Sahiwal-Vl, NA-96 Faisalabad-II, NA-104 Faisalabad-X, and PP-98 Faisalabad-l, the polling will take place on October 5.

The ruling allies — Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) — had announced they will jointly contest the upcoming by-elections nationwide.

According to a statement issued after the meeting of the PTI's political committee on Wednesday, the party said it considered the disqualified members victims of political vendetta and has praised their “sacrifices”.

The party reaffirmed its full support for [disqualified members] and pledged not to contest by-elections in their constituencies as a mark of protest.

The statement also voiced strong concerns over the ongoing daily hearings of the Toshakhana case being held in Adiala Jail.

The party said that such proceedings are a "violation of basic rights" and could undermine the "fairness of justice system."

It stressed that daily hearings not only disrupt legal representation but also place unnecessary pressure on the accused.

Additionally, the committee announced that, on the instruction of PTI’s founding chairman, the party is resigning from the National Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC), standing committees and chairmanships.

However, the PTI's top committee has decided that the party will contest the by-election in Lahore’s NA-129 constituency, which became vacant after the death of Hammad Azhar’s father, Mian Azhar.

The PTI's political committee thanked its founding chairman Imran Khan for showing complete trust in the committee and handing over future political decisions to the body for further consultation and strategy planning.

Meanwhile, multiple PTI MNAs have submitted their resignations from various parliamentary committees.

Faisal Amin Khan, brother of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, has resigned from all standing committees of the National Assembly.

He stepped down from the Standing Committee on Economic Affairs, the Standing Committee on National Food Security, and the Parliamentary Task Force on SDGs. His resignation was formally submitted to Chief Whip Amir Dogar.

Another PTI MNA, Asif Khan, has resigned from the NA standing committees and sent his resignation to NA Speaker Ayaz Sadiq.