Khyber Pakhtunkhwa:-PTI: ‘Pressure group’ announces boycott of parliamentary committees

The Express Tribune

Disgruntled MPAs of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) have decided to boycott parliamentary committee meetings until their grievances are addressed, The Express Tribune learnt on Tuesday.

According to sources privy to a meeting, the pressure group has objections over two major portfolios given to PTI’s coalition partners in the government.

The insider added a meeting was held among four pressure group lawmakers on Monday in the chambers of the assembly’s deputy speaker in which the MPAs expressed reservations on the allocation of portfolios.

“The disgruntled members claim that by giving two major portfolios to coalition partners, PTI will have to face the public’s resentment,” the insider added.

Requesting anonymity, a PTI MPA said the people of K-P gave PTI the mandate but the credit of governance will go to Awami Jamhoori Ittehad Pakistan (AJIP) and Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) since they have the health and local government ministries, respectively.

“Are we not competent enough to run the health ministry,” the unhappy lawmaker questioned.

He added the pressure group members will not attend meetings of parliamentary committees until their grievances are addressed.

“Imran Khan promised that our issues will be addressed in three months, and notifications of the appointment of newly-inducted ministers into the provincial cabinet will be put on hold,” said the lawmaker. “People have expectations from us (PTI) but we will never be able to facilitate them, particularly in the matters of health and local government. This will be detrimental for us,” he added.

Another PTI legislator said, “Our resignations are still with the deputy speaker and whenever we feel that we are being taken lightly, we will not hesitate to give a green signal to the deputy speaker to accept them.” “If one MPA leaves the assembly, the entire group will follow,” he added, reiterating the pressure group’s pledge.