Resignations accepted in accordance with Article 64 of Constitution.
Summary sent to ECP to de-notify PTI lawmakers.
Seventy PTI resignations have been accepted this week.
ISLAMABAD: The political uncertainty continues in Pakistan after the National Assembly Speaker Raja Pervaiz on Friday accepted the resignations of 35 more Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) MNAs.
The PTI had resigned from the lower house of parliament after the ouster of PTI chief Imran Khan in April 2022.
According to a press release issued by the National Assembly Secretariat, the resignations were accepted in accordance with clause (1) of Article 64 of the Constitution and rules of procedure and conduct of Business in the NA.
“In accordance with clause (1) of Article 64 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, read with Rule 43 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the National Assembly of Pakistan 2007, the Hon’ble Speaker of the National Assembly of Pakistan has been pleased to accept the resignations of the following Members of the National Assembly with effect from April 11, 2022, the date when the letter of respective resignations was submitted,” said the statement.
The resignations had been accepted with effect from 11 April 2022, the date when the letters of respective resignations were submitted, said Radio Pakistan.
Following the approval of the resignations, the summary was sent to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to de-notify the PTI lawmakers.
Here’s the list of PTI lawmakers whose resignations have been accepted:
S.No
Name
Constituency
01
Dr Haider Ali Khan
NA-2
02
Saleem Rehman
NA-3
03
Sahibzada Sibghatullah
NA-5
04
Mehboob Shah
NA-6
05
Muhammad Bashir Khan
NA-7
06
Junaid Akbar
NA-8
07
Sher Akbar Khan
NA-9
08
Ali Khan Jadoon
NA-16
09
Engr Usman Khan Tarakai
NA-19
10
Mujahid Ali
NA-20
11
Arbab Amir Ayub
NA-28
12
Sher Ali Arbab
NA-30
13
Shahid Ahmed
NA-34
14
Gul Dad Khan
NA-40
15
Sajid Khan
NA-42
16
Mohammad Iqbal Khan
NA-44
17
Aamer Mehmood Kiani
NA-61
18
Syed Faiz ul Hassan
NA-70
19
Chaudhry Shoukat Ali Bhatti
NA-87
20
Umar Aslam Khan
NA-93
21
Amjad Ali Khan
NA-96
22
Khurram Shahzad
NA-107
23
Faizullah
NA-109
24
Malik Karamat Ali Khokhar
NA-135
25
Syed Fakhar Imam
NA-150
26
Zahoor Hussain Qureshi
NA-152
27
Ibraheem Khan
NA-158
28
Tahir Iqbal
NA-164
29
Aurangzeb Khan Khichi
NA-165
30
Makhdoom Khusro Bakhtiar
NA-177
31
Abdul Majeed Khan
NA-187
32
Andaleeb Abbas
Reserved seat
33
Asma Qadeer
Reserved seat
34
Maleeka Ali Bokhari
Reserved seat
35
Munawara Bibi Baloch
Reserved seat
Earlier, Ashraf had stalled the process of accepting resignations after July 28 stating the remaining lawmakers would be summoned individually for verification.
However, contrary to his claims he quickened the process by accepting the resignations of 34 PTI MNAs and Awami Muslim League chief Sheikh Rashid earlier this week after an eight-month hiatus.
Soon after the PTI announced its return to the assembly and test the PM through a no-trust move, the government so far accepted 70 PTI resignations during the current week only.
Around 131 MNAs of the PTI had tendered their resignations en masse after Imran Khan’s government was ousted through a no-confidence motion in April last year.
By July 28, 2022, the NA speaker had accepted the resignations of only 11 PTI lawmakers.
PTI calls govt’s move ‘illegal and immoral’
Speaking to the media outside the Parliament House, senior PTI leaders said the speaker retracted from his old stance by accepting the resignations of 35 more PTI lawmakers today.
Asad Qaiser, Asad Umar, Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Fawad Chaudhry and others termed the government’s move “illegal and immoral”.
Former National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser condemned the decision and revealed that Ashraf had called the PTI leaders to the assembly and told them that the resignations would not be accepted unless he had a word with the MNAs himself separately.
“Were those whose resignations were accepted called by the Speaker?”Qaiser asked.
Berating the speaker’s decision, PTI Senior Vice President Fawad Chaudhry said now that 81 resignations were accepted, the government must also give a date for the general elections.
Expressing his displeasure over the decision, the PTI leader blamed Islamabad for the political and economic crises in the country.
“We are heading towards a Sri Lanka-like situation,” Chaudhry claimed.
PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi said that the speaker first said that he cannot accept the resignations collectively.
“We decided to come to the meeting and he [the speaker] postponed it and when we came to the assembly, he accepted the resignations of 35 more MNAs,” said Qureshi, demanding that the rest of the resignations should also be accepted.
The party’s vice chairman said that the PTI wants snap polls so that the people can decide for themselves.
Maulana Fazlur Rehman, speaking on a private television station, said that the PTI is always coming to the streets, which really lessens the impact of a protest.
He also suggested to the PTI leadership that rather than carrying on with the agitation, it should finally put a hard hand down, which would be the final nail in the coffin.
He continued, citing the JUI protests as an example, saying, “We had a strong grip over our protesters and workers, so neither road was closed nor any property damage occurred during protests.”
The PTI has the right to protest, but Maulana Fazlur Rehman described the party’s agitation strategy as insufficient, stating that it is currently being “exposed which maynot be a good sign’.
Ali Amin Gandapur, the chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, promised not to go back home unless the PTI founder was freed. During their demonstration, Imran Khan’s wife, Bushra Bibi, encouraged the party officials to come up with strategies to avoid being arrested.
According to an alleged audio recording, she stated that November 24 will be a loyalty test for PTI members.
Additionally, the government of Islamabad has enforced section 144 for a period of two months, which prohibits processions, rallies, demonstrations, and meetings of five or more individuals in the city.
As per the notification, the prohibition forbade meetings in any public space inside the boundaries of Islamabad, including the Red Zone, which encompasses important government buildings, diplomatic missions, and other sensitive sites.
The hearing on the PTI founder’s bail application in the Toshakhana-2 case has resumed at the Islamabad High Court (IHC), with Justice Mian Gul Hasan Aurangzeb serving as the presider.
The hearing was attended by the defense attorney, Barrister Salman Safdar, and FIA prosecutor Zulfiqar Abbas Naqvi.
Judge Mian Gul Hasan Aurangzeb told the FIA prosecutor to “leave the media alone and exempt yourself from them” in order to avoid commenting on the media. The statement followed the prosecutor’s assertion that the bail would be granted, which had previously been reported by media sources.
In addition, the court questioned whether the receipts in question were issued in the name of Bushra Bibi or the PTI founder itself. Bushra Bibi’s name was on the receipts listed in the challan, according to Barrister Salman Safdar.
Defense arguments The defense expressed displeasure about the case’s 3.5-year registration wait. The prosecution has swore in Sohaib Abbasi and made Inamullah Shah a crucial witness without requiring them to take an oath.
Barrister Salman Safdar highlighted that multiple agencies, including NAB, FIA, Police, and the Election Commission, have initiated actions related to the Toshakhana case, suggesting procedural redundancy.
Regarding a phony Toshakhana receipt, he contended, the Kohsar Police Station has also filed a case.
Position of the prosecution The FIA prosecutor, Umair Majeed Malik, maintained that the valuation of the jewelry set mentioned in the case would be explained in the prosecution’s evidence.Justice Mian Gul Hasan Aurangzeb remarked, “If the media does not spread sensationalism, how will they conduct their business?” He dismissed rumors about his health, stating that he was present and hearing the case despite such reports.
Status of Co-Accused The court was informed that Bushra Bibi, a co-accused in the case, is currently on interim bail and awaiting a decision by Judge Afzal Majuka. Barrister Salman Safdar expressed hope that Judge Majuka would soon announce his verdict.
Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi convened with Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman to deliberate on issues of shared concern and the current political landscape in the nation.
In today’s meeting in Islamabad, Mr. Naqvi asked about Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s health and sent his best wishes for the JUI chief’s well-being and future pursuits.
Naqvi extended his appreciation to Maulana Fazlur Rehman for his crucial contribution to the enactment of the 26th Constitutional Amendment, which he characterised as a significant milestone in Pakistan’s legislative history.
Following the meeting, Naqvi commended Mr. Fazlur Rehman’s commitment to the nation, asserting, “Maulana Fazlur Rehman has consistently prioritised Pakistan’s interests, and his contributions to the country are indispensable.”
The experienced politician reaffirmed his dedication to Pakistan and its populace, stating, “Our priority has consistently been Pakistan and the well-being of its citizens.”