PTI divided over resigning from NA, boycotting PM election

KARACHI: In what appears to be a serious blow to Pakistan Tahreek-e-Insaf, the party has divided over the matters of boycotting the election of the Prime Minister and en masse resignations from the National Assembly.

Sourced said that the members of the Lower House have started raising the questions and expressing concerns at the party’s decision of resigning from the National Assembly. They added that the majority of the PTI MNAs are in favor of returning to the House and they demanded to bring forth the person, who had suggested for resigning from the legislative assembly and boycotting the election of the PM.

The PTI members were of the view that the party’s credibility was damaged by the wrong decision and added that the PTI should return to the House and give tough time to the government.

Interestingly enough, the sources said, the chief whip of the PTI in the NA Amir Dogar was also unaware of the person who had advised against vying for the PM slot. He was of the opinion, “Had there been no boycott, PTI dissidents Raja Riaz and others would have been de-seated.”

The PTI MPs have demanded to convene the meeting of the parliamentary party, in which, every member should be given an opportunity to express their stance. The PTI committed the political suicide by resigning from the NA and boycotting the PM’s election, they said and asked, “Who will give vote to the PTI in the next elections?”

However, the former information minister Fawad Chawdry said: “We won’t let our member go in the dubious Assembly,” adding that whoever wanted to go, they could go by quitting the party.