Babar Awan resigns as senator

ISLAMABAD: Senator Babar Awan, who just before Eidul Fitr joined Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf after remaining part of PPP for 21 years, has formally resigned from the Senate on Thursday and has dispatched a hand-written letter in this connection to Chairman Senate Mian Raza Rabbani.

In his letter, Awan wrote that he had resigned from the House of Federation of his own accord under Article 64 (1) and added the Senate is the constitutional custodian of the federation and being its member has been the highest honour for him. 

He expressed strong hope that under the guidance of Chairman Rabbani, the Senate would continue to safeguard the deprived and under-privileged segments of society. 

While announcing his joining the PTI at his residence, Awan had also resigned from the PPP’s basic membership that day. Interestingly, like several other senior PPP leaders, who have in recent weeks joined PTI, Babar Awan has not heaped criticism on the PPP leadership while leaving the party. His term as a senator was to end in March next year. 

On this occasion there might be some question in the minds of many, having interest in parliamentary parlance. PML-N Senator Nehal Hashmi had resigned and after some days had submitted an application, urging Rabbani not to accept his resignation, although his party had disowned his second thought and he had already been expelled from the ruling party.