PTI leader challenges NA resignation in IHC

Shakoor Shad says did not resign from NA seat; requests election schedule to be suspended immediately

ISLAMABAD:

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's (PTI) Shakoor Shad challenged, in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday, the acceptance of a resignation from his National Assembly seat, claiming he did not resign from his seat.

In a constitutional petition filed through Advocate Akhtar Cheema, Shad maintained that the resignation letter was written by a computer operator at the PTI's head office, and was signed by 123 members. He argued that the letter did not address the lower house speaker, and did not have a name or date on it.

According to the petition, the PTI had said that the resignations were taken to show solidarity with PTI chief Imran Khan to maintain party discipline and for “political purposes”.

It further alleged that the approval of the resignation was in violation of the judgment given by Justice Athar Minallah in 2015. The court has declared that resignation must be voluntary, made of free will and for the purpose of vacating the seat.

The PTI leader's petition maintained that according to Senate Chairperson Raza Rabbani's ruling in 2015, the acceptance of the PTI MNA’s resignation was a violation of the speaker’s oath.

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The constitutional petition requested that the election schedule be suspended immediately and the notification of his seat being vacated be declared null and void.

IHC rejects plea

Earlier this week, the IHC rejected the PTI's petition against the approval of party MNAs' resignations in phases.

IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah remarked that the notification of the then National Assembly deputy speaker Qasim Suri was declared unconstitutional in an earlier judgment.

He added that an earlier verdict had mentioned that the NA speaker would decide the matter and there was nothing that the court could do.

Hearing the PTI’s petition, the judge noted that the court had decided not to meddle in political affairs.