After withdrawing from National Assembly standing committees, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) senators have also started resigning from their respective committees on the instructions of party founder Imran Khan.

On Thursday, several senators submitted their resignations.

PTI Senator Ali Zafar, Senator Azam Swati, Senator Dost Muhammad, Senator Zeeshan Khanzada, Senator Mirza Muhammad Afridi, and Senator Mohsin Aziz have all resigned from their respective standing committees.

Ali Zafar also stepped down as chairman of the Senate Standing Committee on Information and Broadcasting.

Senator Azam Swati tendered his resignations from five standing committees and sent them to PTI’s parliamentary leader in the Senate, Ali Zafar, who will forward them to Senate Chairman Yousuf Raza Gilani.

Swati said his decision was made on the directions of Imran Khan, adding that the party was protesting against the current parliamentary system, which he claimed had rendered standing committees ineffective in upholding the rule of law and the Constitution.

Similarly, Senator Zeeshan Khanzada resigned from five committees, including as chairman of the Committee on Overseas Pakistanis, and as member of the Foreign Affairs, Finance and Revenue, Commerce, and Privatisation committees.

In his resignation submitted to the Senate chairman, Khanzada said he was stepping down in protest and in compliance with Imran Khan’s directive.

Senator Dost Muhammad also resigned from the standing committees on Government Assurances, Human Rights, Food Security, Poverty Alleviation, and Railways.

Senator Mirza Muhammad Afridi, an independent supported by PTI, quit the standing committees on Commerce, Industries and Production, Education, Energy, and Inter-Provincial Coordination.

“I am resigning in line with the instructions of PTI founder,” he said.

Earlier, Senator Mohsin Aziz had already resigned from all his standing committees.

It is worth noting that PTI’s resignations began in the National Assembly, where Junaid Akbar resigned as Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, along with 51 other PTI MNAs, who submitted their resignations to Speaker Ayaz Sadiq.

However, sources said Speaker Ayaz Sadiq has not acted on those resignations so far.

The government has reportedly urged the Speaker not to accept the resignations of members associated with the Sunni Ittehad Council, which PTI backed after its electoral symbol was withdrawn.