Pakistan Anti-Terrorism Court disqualifies PTI senator Murad Saeed

Pakistan’s opposition party, Pakistan Tehreek‑e‑Insaf (PTI), lost another Senate seat on Thursday after Senator Murad Saeed was disqualified following his conviction in a politically sensitive legal case.

An Anti‑Terrorism Court in Rawalpindi ruled that Saeed no longer meets the requirements to serve in the Senate after being sentenced over unrest linked to nationwide protests in 2023.

The court decision bars him from public office under Pakistan’s constitution.

The Election Commission of Pakistan declared the seat vacant and said a by-election will be held according to the law.

Who is Murad Saeed?

Murad Saeed, 39, is a senior PTI leader who rose from student activism to national politics. Born in August 1986 in Kabal, Swat district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, he founded the Insaf Student Federation at the University of Peshawar, mobilizing youth support for political reform.

He was elected to the National Assembly in 2013 and 2018 and served as federal minister for communications and postal services under former Prime Minister Imran Khan.

Saeed has faced multiple political controversies, including scrutiny over the authenticity of his academic degree, which was later dismissed by the Peshawar High Court.

Following government crackdowns after the May 9 protests in 2023, Saeed went into hiding. He later resurfaced in a video urging PTI supporters to mobilize, defend democratic norms, and march toward Islamabad, reaffirming loyalty to party leadership.

Further legal proceedings and appeals may affect the final status of Saeed’s disqualification, while PTI braces for the loss of another legislative seat.