ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has taken a bold and dramatic step by withdrawing from key National Assembly standing committees, leaving the legislative field wide open for the ruling coalition to push its agenda with little resistance.
Acting under the directives of PTI founder and former prime minister Imran Khan, party chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan announced his resignation from four major committees — Law and Justice, Human Rights, Information Technology, and the House Business Advisory Committee. Following his lead, at least 18 PTI lawmakers have also stepped down from their respective committee assignments, signaling a collective and strategic retreat from parliamentary proceedings.
The move comes as part of PTI’s larger protest plan, which includes boycotting upcoming by-elections and distancing itself from institutional politics altogether. According to party insiders, the decision is aimed at “rejecting an illegitimate system” and shifting the party’s focus towards street-level political mobilisation and legal battles.
Political observers, however, warn that this abrupt withdrawal could have far-reaching consequences. With PTI absent from crucial oversight panels such as the Public Accounts Committee and committees monitoring human rights and legislative scrutiny, the ruling alliance now faces virtually no structured opposition within parliament.
Analysts argue that this power vacuum could lead to unchecked government control over policy-making and financial matters, undermining the principle of parliamentary accountability. At the same time, PTI risks isolating itself further from the institutional frameworks where key decisions are shaped, relying instead on populist narratives and protests to stay relevant.
While the party frames this as a principled stance against what it calls a compromised system, critics see it as a strategic miscalculation that leaves the opposition benches weaker than ever. Whether this approach strengthens PTI’s political positioning or further sidelines it in the corridors of power remains to be seen.
This story has been reported by PakTribune. All rights reserved.