Voting against the budget: Marvi Memon resigns from NA, PML-Q

Marvi Memon says she has no intentions of joining any political party, slams government.

ISLAMABAD:

Outspoken critic of present government’s economic policies, Marvi Memon of Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) resigned from her seat in the National Assembly on Wednesday, while also giving up the membership of her party. Memon was among the few legislators in parliament who voted against the Finance Bill 2011.

“I tried to prevail upon the party leadership to change their decision (of joining the coalition), but in vain,”

said Memon while announcing her resignation later.

“Now the only honourable course open to me is to resign from the PML membership and also as member of the National Assembly on the occasion of vote for the budget,” she added.

PML-N legislators lauded her decision and thumped their desks in response.

Marvi said her party’s decision in abstaining from voting on the budget practically meant approving the government’s policies. “Preferring personal interests, the Q-league joined the coalition at a time when people of Pakistan were going through a deepening crisis and the coalition government of PPP had failed to deliver,” Marvi said.

“I cannot vote against my conscience. I have thus voted against the budget,” Marvi added.

Speaking to journalists outside the Parliament House, Marvi denied that her father Nisar Memon had any influence on her decision.

While she added that she does not intend to join any other political party at present, rumors were rife that Marvi was likely to join Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI).

Speaking on Memon’s decision to resign, Minister of State for Housing and Works Raza Hayat Hiraj from the PML-Q said that “only those elected directly and not on reserved seats know how difficult it is to win a seat in the National Assembly.”





Published in The Express Tribune, June 23^rd, 2011.

The resignation can be read here.