The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Thursday disqualified Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Senator Murad Saeed following his conviction in May 9 case related to 2023 violent protests.   

In a notification, the election body stated that Saeed was sentenced to 10 years in prison by an anti-terrorism court in Rawalpindi, leading to his disqualification under Article 63(1)(h) of the Constitution.

Following the decision, the Senate’s general seat from KP has been declared vacant.

Saeed was elected senator from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in July 2025, but could not take the oath as he remained in hiding.

In mid-February, he submitted his resignation from the Senate seat in a letter addressed to the party chairman.

In the letter, also posted on the party’s X handle, Saeed said, “This parliament, founded on illegitimacy, has become complicit in every attempt to turn the gravest insult to the people’s mandate into the nation’s destiny, where even after taking an oath on the constitution, its authority has been distorted.”

Saeed further said lawmakers demanding basic rights for the “elected and real prime minister” were themselves being confined for protesting, adding, “I hereby resign as a protest.”

May 9 mayhem

The May 9, 2023, events refer to the violent protests that broke out in several parts of the country following the arrest of the PTI founder Imran Khan and saw attacks on public properties and military installations, including Corps Commander’s House Lahore, also known as Jinnah House.

The riots were triggered by the arrest of ex-premier Khan from the premises of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) in a graft case.

Several PTI leaders and workers were released on bail after their arrests, while many still remain behind bars.

The deposed prime minister, who was ousted from power via the opposition’s no-confidence motion in April 2022, has been behind bars since August 2023 as he is facing a slew of charges ranging from corruption to terrorism.