Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan announced on Thursday that party founder Imran Khan has officially directed PTI lawmakers to resign from all standing committees in the Punjab Assembly, including chairmanships and memberships.
Speaking to the media outside Adiala Jail after meeting Imran Khan, Gohar stated, “We have 107 MPAs in Punjab and around 14 standing committees. Khan has clearly instructed that our members step down from all of them — just as we’ve done in the National Assembly and Senate.”
Standing Committees Exit Part of Wider Strategy
This decision aligns with Imran Khan’s earlier stance in August 2024, when he advised against contesting by-elections that followed the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) disqualification of many PTI leaders over alleged involvement in the May 9 riots. At the time, he also directed lawmakers to resign from all parliamentary committees, including the Public Accounts Committee (PAC).
PTI legislators in the National Assembly and Senate had already begun submitting their resignations. Whether Punjab Assembly members would follow suit had remained uncertain — until now.
Gohar Dismisses Leadership Speculation
Addressing recent speculation about his possible removal as PTI chairman, Gohar dismissed the rumours as baseless.
“There is no issue of my chairmanship. The party is stable and united,” he affirmed.
He also addressed developments regarding Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, who was recently told to step down. Gohar said Imran Khan deeply respects Gandapur, calling him “one of my few loyal allies.”
However, he added that Imran has a firm stance on terrorism, believing that military operations without a political strategy only worsen the situation by increasing radicalisation.
“Khan said our province cannot afford such collateral damage. That’s why we were pushing for a major change,” Gohar explained.
He confirmed that the transition in KP’s leadership will move forward swiftly and that the new cabinet will be finalised by Imran Khan once the new government takes shape.
