Imran's party splits over resignations

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) parliamentary party Sunday faced a split over the issue of resignations from the National Assembly.

While Fawad Chaudhry and Sheikh Rashid Ahmad said the party parliamentarians would resign en masse after the election of prime minister on Monday, Shah Mehmood Qureshi said no final decision had been reached yet while Ali Muhammad Khan said almost 95% of the party MNAs were against quitting the assemblies, reports The News International. 

The PTI sources said that Sheikh Rashid and Fawad Chaudhry were active in pushing the PTI out of the political scene.

Both are pressurising Imran Khan to resign from the assemblies.

They believe if the PTI MNAs tender resignations en masse, the new government under Shehbaz Sharif would get an opportunity to play openly on important appointments and legislation. In such a scenario, the party would suffer an irreparable loss, they believe.

Chaudhry Fawad Hussain, briefing the media about the PTI core committee meeting chaired by party chairman Imran Khan at Bani Gala on Sunday, said that the PTI MNAs would start resigning from the National Assembly from Monday.

"If our objections on Shehbaz Sharif's papers are not accepted, then we will resign tomorrow," Fawad said.

Imran Khan presided over the PTI core committee meeting to take stock of the latest political situation and discuss the options to push for early elections, and block the formation of the new government.

Imran Khan reportedly is poised for leading a big movement to demand general election in the country in the next few weeks or months.

Party sources said the former premier is likely to attend the House proceedings on Monday (today). It will be his first visit after his ouster as the premier through the no-confidence resolution.