By Zulfiqar Ahmad

Copyright brecorder

ISLAMABAD: In a move signifying deeper disengagement from parliamentary affairs, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Tuesday formally submitted the resignations of 17 of its senators from Senate standing committees to the Senate Secretariat for acceptance.

PTI’s parliamentary leader in the Senate, Senator Ali Zafar, confirmed that a consolidated list of resignations had been submitted on behalf of 17 PTI senators holding membership or chairmanship positions on these committees.

Out of PTI’s 21 senators, 17 submitted their resignations, while three – Saleem Rehman, Saifullah Abro, and Gurdeep Singh – have yet to step down from their Senate panel positions.

The trio could not be reached for comment, as they did not respond to text messages sent to their mobile phones.

The newly elected Senator Murad Saeed, has yet to take his oath of office.

Zafar said the decision to resign from Senate standing committees was taken unanimously by the party’s senior leadership under the direct instructions of jailed former prime minister and party founding chairman, Imran Khan.

“This decision to quit the Senate panels was taken with full consensus within the party and is final,” Zafar said, describing the resignations as a formal step away from parliamentary committee roles.

However, he declined to comment on those senators who have not yet resigned from their Senate panel positions, saying only that all remaining members holding committee roles would step down soon.

He also reiterated his party’s allegation that the ruling coalition has engineered the political system to retain power and suppress dissent, particularly in the aftermath of the May 9 crackdown on PTI members and supporters.

This move follows a similar disengagement by PTI lawmakers from National Assembly committees last month. The opposition party has been protesting what it describes as a “manipulated” parliamentary process aimed at sidelining its voices and limiting its political influence.

Sources within PTI told Business Recorder that the latest resignations form part of a broader strategy to delegitimise the “hybrid regime” and pressure the powerful military establishment to call fresh general elections under a neutral caretaker setup.

According to political analysts, the development may further complicate parliamentary functioning and contribute to growing political instability, as PTI continues to question the legitimacy of the current government.

The Senate Secretariat has remained tight-lipped on the issue, but sources said a decision on the PTI senators’ resignations is expected to be made by Chairman Yousuf Raza Gilani, once National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq takes a position on the resignations earlier submitted by PTI MNAs.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025