Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Omar Ayub on Saturday said PTI founder Imran Khan has accepted his resignation as the party’s secretary general, which was tendered for the second time.

Ayub had first resigned from his party positions of secretary general and chairman of PTI’s Central Finance Board on June 22 citing the burden of additional responsibilities as the opposition leader as the reason.

However, with some of PTI’s key leaders censuring their party colleagues and media reports of a forward bloc, Ayub’s resignation had lent credence to reports of discontent among PTI members.

In response to the move, which had come as a surprise, the PTI’s parliamentary party had reposed confidence in Ayub and urged him to continue with his party roles.

In a post on social media platform X today, Ayub said: “I am most grateful and indebted to PM Imran Khan sahib that he has accepted my resignation letter dated Sept 4, 2024.”

The PTI leader explained that he had requested party colleague, Opposition Leader in Senate Shibli Faraz, to convey his resignation to Imran — incarcerated at Adiala Jail — during their meeting on September 5 (Thursday).

He recalled that he had earlier resigned on June 22 “but it was not accepted”.

“Holding the offices of leader of the opposition in the National Assembly, secretary general PTI, pursuing my legal battles and looking after the issues of the constituency I represent in the National Assembly are all taken together a tremendous workload,” Ayub said.

The PTI leader affirmed he would continue to “work as a worker of PTI and PM Imran Khan sahib”.

Referring to the party’s Islamabad rally planned for tomorrow (Sunday), Ayub expressed the determination to make it a “resounding success”.

“Wishing the new secretary general all the best. I will work closely and tirelessly with the new secretary general for PM Imran Khan sahib and PTI, god-willing,” the politician concluded.

Last month, PTI leader Hammad Azhar stepped down for a second time as the president of the party’s Punjab chapter citing a lack of access to Imran.

According to PTI sources, lawmaker Sher Afzal Marwat was also stopped by party chairman Barrister Gohar Khan from resigning from the NA.

The PTI has been severely affected by internal divisions with several party leaders having formed their own groups, according to reports. Groups — at both federal and provincial levels — try to get close to Imran.

‘Will work for PTI as a worker’

Ayub’s resignation letter, which he shared on X, was dated September 4 and add­ressed to Imran, with a copy also sent to Gohar.

“I tried to perform to the best of my abilities during very tumultuous times and learnt a tremendous amount under your dynamic leadership,” he said.

“The PTI family members have endured tremendous hardships in the last two years but have not flinched. They have endured physical torture and financial hardships but have stayed true to PTI’s ideology of ‘Haqeeqi Azadi’ and ‘Rule of Law’,” Ayub wrote.

The PTI leader stressed that both positions of the NA opposition leader and the party secretary general, as well as the “pursuance of my legal battles, demand complete attention”.

“Given the parliamentary workload in addition to the commitments of the constituency I represent in the National Assembly, I feel that another person should be the secretary general to organise the party structure and work under your guidance to prepare PTI for the elections in the near future.

“I am therefore resigning as PTI secretary general and PTI Central Finance Board chairman but will work for PTI as a worker as per the ideology you have given PTI and Pakistan,” Ayub pledged.

The PTI MNA acknowledged the “tremendous support” received from Gohar, Faraz and members of PTI’s parliamentary party, political committee, and core committee as well as staff of the PTI Central Office.