Imran Khan orders to expel absentee lawmakers from polling day for 26th constitutional amendment. PHOTO: PIXABAY
ISLAMABAD:
PTI founding chairman Imran Khan on Wednesday dissolved the party’s political committee with plans to replace it with a smaller body.
Sheikh Waqas Akram, the party’s information secretary, confirmed that the existing political committee has been disbanded and will be replaced by a smaller committee. The former committee consisted of approx. 40 members.
Waqas maintained that the new committee will most likely have the party’s provincial chiefs, leaders of the opposition and a few more members.
Imran also directed that Shahid Khattak be appointed Parliamentary Leader in the National Assembly.
Party sources indicate that the plan may not be implemented. While Zartaj Gul was previously appointed as parliamentary leader, this time it could be argued that independent legislators are not eligible for the post. In addition, Imran has tasked KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi to reorganize the Insaf Lawyers Forum (ILF).
Earlier, it was reported that some PTI parliamentary members had attended a national security workshop at Islamabad’s National Defense University (NDU) on November 29, attracting Imran Khan’s displeasure over their attendance. The event brought together parliamentarians, senior civil and military officials, academics and civil society representatives.
The Members of Parliament clarified their position on Wednesday.
Sources said a key meeting was held between the party leadership and the concerned legislators where the issue of workshop participation was discussed in detail.
The members of parliament told the leadership that their participation in the workshop was fully in accordance with the party’s instructions, advice and approval.
The members noted that several PTI leaders and members had attended the same workshop last year and expressed surprise that this year’s participation had turned controversial.
It was also revealed during the meeting that PTI General Secretary Salman Akram Raja was not present at the consultation meeting. Lawmakers expressed serious concerns over the matter and highlighted the lack of a clear policy.
Sources confirmed that a few members offered their resignation, but the party leadership, including the sisters of the PTI founding chairman, persuaded them to wait and assured that their position would be fully communicated to the diocesan chairman in the next meeting.
Mashal Yousafzai clarified that she neither attended any briefing nor met anyone, adding that it was Imran Khan who made her abide by parliamentary discipline.
Another party member, Adil Bazai, described the NDU workshop as a purely academic program and noted that 90% of the PTI parliamentarians had attended it in the past.
