NA speaker says he won't accept PTI MP's resignations unless 'satisfied'

LAHORE: National Assembly Speaker Raja Pervez Ashraf on Sunday said that he will not accept the resignations from Pakistan-Tehreek-e-Insaf's (PTI) lawmakers untill making sure the resignations are not given under pressure.

The PTI lawmakers had tendered their resignations en masse after the Imran Khan government was ousted through a no-confidence motion back in April.

The PTI has claimed resignations were accepted by former deputy speaker Qasim Suri in absence of the speaker after Asad Qaiser's resignation.

However, once Raja Pervez Ashraf was elected as the speaker, he decided to verify the resignations by interviewing lawmakers individually.

Later, the resignations of PTI members were de-sealed and Raja accepted only 11 of them.

"The PTI MPs convey messages to him to not accept their resignations," the NA speaker said while speaking to the media persons after visiting Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Hasan Murtaza residence for breakfast.

He said that situations like this require a lot of thought process, adding that he will not accept the resignations until he is satisfied.

"There is a process to accept resignations with some rules and regulations," he said. "If a lawmaker gives a statement regarding his resignation and I get to know that he has done it under pressure then I will not accept it."

Speaking about the current political situation in the country, the NA speaker hoped that the PTI lawmakers return to the Parliament and represent themselves, expressing he wants that the assembly completes its term.

Speaker Ashraf said that the Parliament is for legislation, law and order and election reforms. He said that it is time to put the matters aside and come together for a bigger purpose.

"We cannot move forward by ignoring the Parliament," he added.

"Asif Zardari is the one who solves and takes things forward," said the speaker, adding that all political parties should handle matters by consensus. He also said that there is always a back door channel as well.

He called the political parties to work together, saying that all the problems are solved within the Parliament and not outside of it.

"The government will be stable if a country has a strong Parliament," he stressed.

Talking about the elections, the PPP leader said that the election will be fair and transparent only if the legislation is made better.

"There is no time left for the elections as the fifth year has started," he added.