Saifullah Abro quits Senate after defying PTI line on 27th Amendment vote

• Abro says he voted due to Field Marshal and army.
• He says his wife was arrested during last amendment.
• Govt passes constitutional tweak in Senate.
  

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) Senator Saifullah Abro on Monday resigned from the House after voting in favour of the 27th Constitutional Amendment exclusively for Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir and the Pakistan Army.

“If anyone is mistaken, let me say that I came here to vote for Asim Munir, not for anyone else,” he said on the floor of the Upper House of the Parliament.

The Senate passed the 27th Constitutional Amendment Bill, which aims to overhaul the military and judicial structures, amid the opposition’s walkout and protest.

Apart from the treasury members, the Awami National Party (ANP), PTI-backed Abro, and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl’s (JUI-F) Ahmed Khan were among the senators who voted in favour of the amendment.

He said that the Pakistan armed forces inflicted a humiliating defeat on India in May this year, adding: “While India was initially hesitant to accept the defeat. However, the situation was ultimately ‘cleared’ by the United States President Donald Trump as he showed [ultimate] respect to Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir.”

Abro also emphasised the significance of this diplomatic recognition, stating that the level of respect shown to Field Marshal Munir by the US was unprecedented, surpassing that given to any prime minister in the past.

Concluding his speech, Abro announced his resignation from his Senate membership, citing his potential disqualification for defying the party policy on the amendment. He also criticised his party colleagues for their lack of support during a “difficult” personal time.

He revealed that during the period of the 26th Constitutional Amendment, his wife was among the 10 members of his family who were arrested, saying that his party did not support him during that phase.