Under pressure: Speaker accepts Parveen Junejo’s resignation

KARACHI:

The speaker of the Sindh Assembly, Agha Siraj Durrani, accepted Pakistan Peoples Party MPA Parveen Junejo's resignation on Friday. He also wrote to the election commission to schedule for a by-election.

Junejo reportedly tendered her resignation following differences with her family, especially husband Aziz Ahmed Junejo. She had contested in the election on a general seat from PS-76 (Dadu) after her husband, who was executive engineer of the irrigation department, was disqualified.

After retiring from his government job, Aziz had filed his nomination papers but the forms were rejected by the election commission claiming that a public sector employee cannot contest in the election two years after retirement. "The Junejo family, who are influential landlords of Khairpur Nathan Shah had no other option but to field another candidate and Parveen was the best choice," said a PPP leader. "Every day there is a dispute between the couple over development funds, transfer postings and other issues in the constituency. Parveen wants to continue but her husband wanted her to resign as he is now eligible to contest in the elections."

A source claimed that her husband wants her to resign as he wants to take her place in the assembly.

While talking to The Express Tribune, Parveen Junejo said that she said resigned under pressure. "Since I took oath, my husband started to dictate me on how to utilise the MPA development fund," she said. "He interfered in everything. Whenever, I refused he insisted that I should resign." She added that PPP MNA Faryal Talpur had forced her to resign.

“I will not give up and will come and talk about this in the next assembly session,” she said.  Aziz Junejo was not available to comment. His family members, however, have confirmed that he will be contesting in the by-elections from the area.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 20^th, 2014.