Demand for acceptance of resignations: Speaker to seek NA legal wing’s advice on Qureshi’s letter

ISLAMABAD: National Assembly Speaker Raja Pervez Ashraf will consult the legal wing of the lower house of the Parliament regarding a fresh letter, written by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Member National Assembly (MNA) Shah Mehmood Qureshi, and seek advice, as the member had sought acceptance of remaining resignations of his colleagues.

The speaker provided ample opportunity to the PTI members for personally appearing before him so that he could determine the veracity of the submission made by them. Incidentally, no member availed the offer by turning up for hearing/ meeting with the speaker.

Sources close to the speaker told The News on Thursday that the letter had been written by Qureshi, whose status in the Parliamentary group has not been defined in the aftermath of change of sides in the house. Imran Khan, who is chairman of the PTI, but his status as MNA is also not clear in the backdrop of a unanimous verdict of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), declaring him disqualified.

Keeping in view all facts, it would be imperative for the Speaker’s Secretariat to study all aspects of the communication before taking any step in the matter, the sources added. Sources reminded that the MNAs belonging to the PTI had been availing all privileges, except for a few.

Sources reminded that the session of the National Assembly culminated three days ago and it continued for about six weeks, which was one of the longest sessions. Some PTI members held a meeting with the speaker but none raised the question of resignations. Ironically few members privately told Raja that they were not willing to quit the house as they had signed the resignation document as an expression of political solidarity with the PTI leadership.