ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) have demanded an early decision regarding resignations of PTI members from the National Assembly.
In the National Assembly on Tuesday while responding to a point of order, the Leader of the Opposition Syed Khursheed Ahmad Shah said that the issue of resignations of PTI members should not be prolonged and should be decided once and for all.
The PTI leader Shah Mehmood Qureshi said that two resolutions regarding de-seating 28 PTI members are on the agenda today and demanded that these should not be deferred and a decision should be taken in this regard.
Qureshi said that demands were made that PTI members should come to Parliament and play their role. He said that they have accepted the decision of the Judicial Commission.
“We should go forward leaving these petty issues behind,” he said.
The Federal Finance Minister Ishaq Dar said while speaking on the occasion that they wanted to resolve the issue with consensus.
The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) lawmakers Asif Hasnain, Kanwar Naveed Jamil and Rashid Godil said that this is not a petty issue and should be resolved according to the law and the Constitution.
Meanwhile, the Speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq deferred two resolutions moved by the MQM and the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) members seeking that the house declare seats of 28 PTI members who remained absent for 40 consecutive days vacant till next Tuesday.
On April 22, the MQM’s Salman Baloch and Naeema Kishwar of the JUI-F moved two motions seeking de-seating of 28 PTI MNAs including its Chairman Imran Khan.
They said in their motions said that that seats of the PTI members be declared vacant under clause (2) of Article 64 of the Constitution because they had been absent without leave of the assembly for 40 consecutive days of the assembly’s sittings.
The PTI had announced to boycott the Parliament in August last year to protest against alleged massive rigging in the 2013 general elections. Later in April this year, it decided to return to the Parliament after almost seven months of absence from the National Assembly and provincial assemblies of Punjab and Sindh.
