Lawmakers’ resignations: Confusion reigns over PTI MPAs status

Sindh Assembly secretariat has not yet sent the resignations to ECP

KARACHI: As the senate elections draw closer, the status of four Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmakers in Sindh Assembly remains ambiguous as the Sindh government has not yet sent their resignations to Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). 

Sindh Assembly speaker Agha Siraj Durrani on January 21 announced that he had accepted the resignations of the PTI lawmakers and forwarded them to ECP for issuance of schedule for by-polls. But officials in the ECP told The Express Tribune that they have not yet received the PTI members’ resignations.

“We heard about it through the media, but assembly secretariat has not yet sent the resignations to us. As per our record the membership of the PTI MPAs is still intact” said provincial election commissioner SM Tariq Qadri.

Sources in Sindh Assembly said the speaker had accepted the resignations, but has now taken back his decision following directives issued by the PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari. “We were about to send the resignations to the ECP, but suddenly the higher-ups directed us to stop the process,” a senior official in the provincial assembly said.

Sindh Assembly’s Secretary GM Umar Farooq said there was a technical issue which prompted the speaker to revisit his decision. “I cannot make further comments on it. You can contact the speaker,” he suggested.

The PTI MPAs handed in their resignations in September 2013. Later, the Sindh Assembly speaker had announced that despite several contacts the lawmakers had not bothered to come to the assembly and, therefore, he had no other option but to accept their resignations.

“From today, we will consider their seats vacant,” he had announced a few days ago.

But the PTI parliamentary leader in Sindh Assembly, Samar Ali Khan told The Express Tribune that they are still members of the assembly and can contest the senate election to be held on March 3.

“Earlier, the speaker had announced to accept our resignations, but later he withdrew that decision,” he said, adding that their participation in the upcoming senate polls will depend on party policy.

Speaker Durrani, however, refused to comment on this issue, saying, “You will soon hear about it,” he said.

Opposition leader in Sindh Assembly Shaharyar Mahar said the speaker, while presiding over the session, had given a wrong statement and therefore he is no more “Sadiq” and “Ameen”.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 5^th, 2015.