Qasim Suri accepts resignations of 123 PTI MNAs.

ISLAMABAD -- The Deputy Speaker of National Assembly Qasim Khan Suri on Thursday accepted the resignations of 123 PTI MNAs after they decided to disassociate themselves from the National Assembly following the ouster of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan from the office of the prime minister.

Imran Khan was ousted through a no-confidence motion brought against him by the then joint Opposition, a move that the PTI called a "foreign conspiracy" hatched by the United States. The allegation, however, has been categorically denied by the superpower.

After being removed from the office, the former premier asked his MNAs to tender their resignations and refused to accept the newly elected premier, saying "there can't be any bigger insult to this country".

Taking to Twitter Thursday, Imran Khan lauded his MNAs for tendering their resignations. "Want to appreciate our 123 MNAs as their resignations have been accepted by Speaker Qasim Suri. Their standing firm for a sovereign Pak and against US-initiated regime change bringing to power criminals, convicted and on bail - the ultimate insult to any self-respecting independent nation."

Responding to the call of the former prime minister, PTI's MNAs tendered their resignations to the deputy speaker of the National Assembly hours before the election of Shehbaz Sharif as the new prime minister.

The decision was reportedly made during the PTI's parliamentary party meeting on April 11.

PTI leader Farrukh Habib on Thursday said the resignations of 123 legislators of his party had been accepted by acting speaker of the National Assembly, Qasim Suri. A notification has also been issued in this regard, the ex-minister said in a tweet.

Habib, a former state minister in the recently dissolved government of PTI Chairman...