The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) has submitted the record of the National Assembly before the Islamabad High Court (IHC) showing former deputy speaker Qasim Suri approving and notifying resignations of 123 MNAs of the party.
The IHC led by acting Chief Justice Aamir Farooq was hearing a petition from
the PTI against phase-wise acceptance of MNAs’ resignations. He directed the
secretary National Assembly to submit the record and issued notices to the
speaker, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), and the secretary
cabinet division.
PTI counsel Advocate Faysal Chaudhry said that Qasim Suri accepted the
resignations of 123 PTI MNAs and his successor has no right to reverse his
decision. “Accepting some of the resignations out of 123 is against the law
and regulations,” he said.
The PTI also submitted an order from the then deputy speaker to accept
resignations on April 13 who also directed to notify it in the gazette.
Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf recently accepted the resignations of 11 PTI
MNAs.
The resignations of 11 PTI MNAs including Shireen Mazari, Ali Muhammad Khan,
Ijaz Shah, Farrukh Habib, Shandana Gulzar, Fazal Muhammad, Fakhar Zaman,
Abdul Shakoor Shad, Jameel Ahmed and Akram Cheema were approved initially
and more resignations will be accepted in phases.
The NA Speaker 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 (ECP) to denotify the lawmakers.
