Senator Ayub Afridi’s resignation clears path for Shaukat Tarin to become senator

ISLAMABAD, Nov 22 (SABAH): Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Senator Ayub Afridi resigned on Tuesday from the upper house of parliament reportedly in a bid to pave way for Advisor to PM on Finance and Revenue Shaukat Fayaz Ahmed Tarin to become a member of parliament.

In order for him to head the cabinet committees, Tarin has to be a member of parliament as per a high court ruling.

The resignation letter of the PTI leader was approved by Senate Chairman Mir Muhammad Sadiq Sanjrani and a notification to this effect was issued by the Senate Secretariat as well.

Ayub Afridi, in a video message, said he was asked to resign by the prime minister. “He [PM Imran Khan] told me to wait due to the joint session and after that he asked me to quit. This [seat] was entrusted to me by the party and the prime minister and I happily returned it,” Afridi added.

The resigned PTI leader has been made PM’s special assistant on overseas Pakistanis in return for giving up his Senate seat. President Dr. Arif Alvi has approved his appointment on the recommendation of PM Imran Khan.

It may be noted that Afridi had sent in his resignation letter to Sanjrani in October, but it was accepted after the joint session of parliament wherein the government bulldozed over 20 laws despite the opposition’s protests.

The PTI government was also eyeing the Senate seat of PML-N’s Muhammad Ishaq Dar who has not taken oath as a senator due to his self-imposed exile in London.