PTI lawmakers quit National Assembly

Lawmakers of the Imran Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) party Friday submitted their resignations from the National Assembly of Pakistan, the lower house of parliament.

PTI leaders Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Arif Alvi and Shireen Mazari submitted the resignations of all 34 MNAs to the NA speaker's office, including that of chairman Imran Khan, Dawn online reported.

The resignations come as the PTI has been engaged in protests and sit-ins against Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's government over alleged rigging in the 2013 general elections.

The party had earlier decided to resign from all assemblies except the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, a province where it is in power.

The PTI became the third largest party clinching 35 seats out of 336 seats in the 2013 National Assembly polls.

Imran Khan claimed that the elections were rigged and demanded that fresh elections be held.

Pakistan's parliament Thursday unanimously passed a resolution rejecting demands by Imran Khan and Tahir-ul-Qadri of the Pakistan Awami Tehreek party for the resignation of Prime Minister Sharif and dissolution of provincial assemblies.

Sharif has ruled out resigning, but agreed to discuss other demands of the two leaders including a call for investigation into the alleged rigging in last year's election.

Earlier Wednesday, the court had issued notice to Imran Khan and Qadri restraining them from trespassing into prohibited zones.

The protests were launched Aug 14 from Lahore and later reached Islamabad where the protestors entered the high security Red Zone that houses important government buildings.