IHC issues notices to NA speaker, ECP on PTI's resignations plea

Court adjourns hearing till Aug 16

ISLAMABAD:

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday issued notices to National Assembly Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, secretary and Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) secretary on the PTI’s petition against the “slow acceptance” of resignations of its MNAs.

The PTI lawmakers had tendered their resignations on April 11, two days after former premier Imran Khan was ousted through a no-trust motion. The NA speaker then decided to “verify” the resignations of the 123 PTI lawmakers by calling them individually or in small groups.

On Thursday, IHC Acting Chief Justice Amir Farooq heard the PTI’s plea.

Advocate Faisal Chaudhry appeared before the court on behalf of the former ruling party.

Chaudhry informed the court that all objections on the plea had been removed. He said the authority letter to make 123 lawmakers party in the case had been submitted.

Read: IHC registrar removes objections on PTI’s resignations plea

The counsel told the court that former deputy speaker Qasim Suri had approved the MNAs resignations. He presented Suri’s April 13 order which stated that the deputy speaker had received the resignations of the lawmakers.

A list of the names of 123 MNAs was also submitted before the IHC.

The lawyer said Suri had also ordered to notify the resignations in the gazette. A copy of former deputy speaker’s acceptance of resignations letter was also presented in the court.

As the arguments concluded, Justice Farooq issued notices to NA speaker, secretary and ECP secretary.

The IHC ordered that the representative of the National Assembly secretary appear before the court at the next hearing with relevant record.
The hearing of the case was adjourned till August 16.