ISLAMABAD: Despite clear instructions from jailed former premier and founding chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Imran Khan, at least 25 PTI MNAs have yet to resign from their memberships of National Assembly standing committees – a quiet but pointed departure from the party’s official line.
Sources within PTI told Business Recorder that while 51 MNAs have so far complied with Khan’s directive to step down from parliamentary committees, a significant group has remained silent – or defiant.
Among those still serving on committees are MNAs Saleem Rehman, Suhail Sultan, Basheer Khan, Nawaz Khan, Muhammad Atif, Sher Ali Arbab, Zulfiqar Ali, Naseem Ali Shah, and Sher Afzal Khan Marwat. Sources said these members continue to actively participate in committee proceedings.
The list extends further to include Muhammad Mubeen Arif, Usama Ahmad Meela, Muhammad Muqaddad Ali, Ghulam Muhammad, Ali Afzal Sahi, and Muhammad Saadullah– none of whom have stepped down.
Senior leaders such as Umar Farooq, Riaz Fatyana, Mehboob Sultan, Latif Khosa, and Ayesha Nazir are also reported to remain members of their respective panels.
More surprisingly, several party loyalists – including MianGhaus Muhammad, Moazzam Ali Khan, Fayaz Hussain, Amber Majeed, and Khawaja Shiraz Mehmood – have also yet to comply, despite Khan’s unequivocal directive issued from Adiala Jail last week.
Khan had called for all PTI lawmakers to resign from every National Assembly standing committee as a collective act of protest and political defiance, warning that failure to do so would result in expulsion from the party.
In the immediate aftermath of the directive, several senior members acted swiftly. Junaid Akbar Khan resigned as chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), while party chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan stepped down from four committees, including Law and Justice and Human Rights.
However, the reluctance of the remaining 25 MNAs to follow suit is being viewed as a potential sign of internal rifts within the party’s parliamentary ranks – driven, perhaps, by political calculations or personal considerations.
Party insiders said that Barrister Gohar has since issued warnings to those who have not resigned, advising them to comply immediately or face disciplinary action, including show-cause notices.
“The members who have not resigned have not given any clear reasons, except for vaguely saying they’re ‘about to resign’,” said a senior PTI leader.
One of the more prominent holdouts, Sher Afzal Marwat– whose PTI membership was previously suspended over alleged violations of party discipline and public criticism of Imran Khan – is also refusing to step down.
He is reportedly maintaining an active presence in parliamentary business. Attempts to reach Marwat for comment were unsuccessful.
Gohar has reiterated that continued defiance will not be tolerated, stating that any member who ignores Imran Khan’s instructions effectively places themselves outside the party fold.
“If you’re not willing to follow Imran Khan’s vision at this critical juncture, you don’t belong to PTI,” a senior party source quoted Gohar as saying.
Whether these lawmakers will eventually fall in line or continue their quiet resistance remains to be seen. For now, however, the standoff reflects a growing challenge for PTI’s leadership – managing discipline and unity in the absence of Imran Khan.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Comments
Comments are closed for this article.