ISLAMABAD: Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar, a senator of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), formally resigned from the upper house of the Parliament on Thursday, days after party leadership conveyed its unhappiness with the parliamentarian’s “political positions”.
He submitted the letter of resignation to Sadiq Sanjrani, chairman of the Senate, in Islamabad. Interestingly, his resignation was accepted by the senate chairman forthwith and the former PPP lawmaker’s seat has been declared vacant.
“I have formally submitted my resignation today. I’m thankful for the positive response and support across party lines which was far beyond my imagination,” he tweeted, referring to the appreciation he received from politicians — mainly those from the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) — over his principled stance on the purported leakage of a secretly recorded video showing Senator Azam Swati and spouse in intimate moments.
Allhamdulillah, I have formally submitted my resignation today. I’m thankful for the positive response & support across party lines which was far beyond my imagination. 1/2 pic.twitter.com/glexHx13Dm
— Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar (@mustafa_nawazk) November 10, 2022
In a subsequent tweet, Khokar added: “For those who are speculating about my political future, let me state clearly that I’m not joining any political party. I will try hard to maintain my independence.”
He was elected as a senator in March 2018. Two years later, in December 2020, he stepped down as the spokesperson for party chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari but said he would continue to be a part of the party.
At the time, he said he would be able to comment and express his thoughts “more freely, without any compulsions and responsibility” that came with the position of spokesperson of a party head.
However, reports citing sources in the PPP had said he was “unhappy” and “uncomfortable” with the party leadership over its back-channel contacts with the military establishment.
