PTI has decided to challenge the selective approval of 11 MNAs’ resignations by the National Assembly (NA) speaker in the Islamabad High Court (IHC), PTI senior leader Asad Umar revealed.
Asad Umar said a petition has been submitted to the IHC against the election commission accepting the resignations of 11 PTI MNAs. Asad Umar said that the NA speaker had no right to not accept other resignations. He said except for the turncoats, all the members resigned, therefore, everyone’s resignations should be accepted.
Speaking on the occasion, he alleged that the NA speaker accepted 11 resignations of his choice which, what he stated, was illegal.
الیکشن کمیشن کے بندر بانٹ کر کے اپنی مرضی کے 11 ممبران اسمبلی کے استعفے منظور کرنے کے خلاف پٹیشن اسلام آباد ہائی کورٹ میں جمع کرا دی ہے. سارے ملک کے سامنے لوٹوں کے علاوہ تمام تحریک انصاف کے ممبران نے استعفیٰ دیا. سب کے استعفے ایک ساتھ قبول کئے جائیں
— Asad Umar (@Asad_Umar) August 1, 2022
Last week, in an unprecedented move, National Assembly speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf accepted the resignations of 11 PTI lawmakers exactly 109 days after they resigned from their seats while protesting the controversial vote of no confidence against former Prime Minister Imran Khan.
Read more: By-elections after resignation of 11 PTI MNAs
The criteria for accepting the current 11 resignations have not been explained, however, it created a new political issue in Pakistan because 131 PTI lawmakers had resigned at the same time. Moreover, ex-deputy speaker Qasim Suri had already accepted the PTI lawmakers’ resignations and sent the same to the Election Commission of Pakistan.
Resignations to be accepted in phases
Those whose resignations were accepted include Shireen Mazari, Ali Muhammad Khan, Fazl Muhammad Khan, Shaukat Khan, Fakhar Zaman Khan, Farrukh Habib, Ijaz Shah, Akram Cheema, Jamil Ahmad Khan, Shandana Gulzar, and Abdul Shakoor Shaad.
The NA Speaker reportedly held consultations with Khursheed Shah, Ayaz Sadiq, and Khawaja Saad Rafique before accepting the resignations and sent a letter to the Election Commission of Pakistan to denotify the lawmakers.
Read more: FT report on PTI’s foreign funding causes storm
Reports claim that more resignations will be accepted but in phases. According to the details, the NA Speaker has decided to accept the resignations of 11 more members of the PTI which will be approved either today or tomorrow.