Islamabad – In a significant escalation of political tensions, 18 members of the National Assembly from the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC), which includes Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmakers, submitted their resignations from all standing committees on Tuesday.
The move is seen as a major protest strategy by the opposition bloc to paralyze the parliamentary oversight process and increase pressure on the ruling government.
The resignations were led by PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan. The lawmakers submitted their letters en masse to the office of the Speaker of the National Assembly, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq.
The list of members who have resigned includes prominent figures such as:
- Amjad Ali Shah
- Sahibzada Sibghatullah
- Mahboob Shah
- Junaid Akbar
- Barrister Gohar Ali Khan (PTI Chairman)
- Sahibzada Gustasap
- Ali Jadoon
- Mujahid Ali
- Malik Anwar Taj
- Fazal Muhammad Khan
- Sajid Khan
- Arbab Amir Ayub
- Asif Khan
- Sheikh Uqas Akram
- Arshad Sahi
- Aamir Dogar
- Shabir Ali Qureshi
- Awees Jhakkar
These members held positions on various key standing committees responsible for scrutinizing legislation related to finance, defence, foreign affairs, law, and justice, among others.
The resignations now place the ball in the court of Speaker Ayaz Sadiq. According to parliamentary procedure, the Speaker must verify and formally accept the resignations for them to take effect. This process will determine the immediate impact on the functionality of the committees.
Political analysts suggest this step is intended to delegitimize the parliamentary process and highlight the opposition’s grievances against the government. The mass resignation from committees could significantly hamper the legislative process and the oversight of government ministries, creating a new political crisis within the National Assembly.
The Speaker’s Office has acknowledged receipt of the resignations but has not yet announced a timeline for their verification. All eyes are now on the next move from the Speaker’s chair.
