Pakistan

Yea or nay: Vote called for revoking PTI’s NA membership

Speaker says PTI lawmakers’ salaries withheld over audit issues

Our Correspondent April 16, 2015

PTI chief Imran Khan. PHOTO: INP

ISLAMABAD: Taking notice of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmakers’ absence in the National Assembly (NA) sessions, Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq has called for a vote in the next session to revoke PTI’s membership to the lower house of the parliament.

Talking to the media at the Parliament House on Wednesday, Sadiq said 18 Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) legislators had moved a resolution for the ouster of the Imran Khan-led party from the NA, which has been admitted and a decision would be made in this regard through a majority vote.

The speaker said the matter of PTI legislators’ resignation from the NA was now a thing of the past. “If their membership to the NA were to be revoked now, the reason for such a step would be their absence from the house.”

He said the PTI lawmakers’ salaries were withheld after objections were raised by the audit authorities. “It would save the authorities from recovery in the event that the PTI’s membership to the lower house is revoked.”

According to a spokesman for the MQM, the resolution was submitted in the assembly in accordance with Article 64 of the constitution to “expose open violation of the constitution and rules and regulations”.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 16^th, 2015.

COMMENTS (16)

S.R.H. Hashmi | 9 years ago | Reply I had thought that like all other institutions of some standing, our highest institution: the National Assembly, would have rules and regulations to govern the conduct of its business, and would have clear-cut rules to determine the qualification or disqualification of its members. And in fact, our National assembly does have rules and regulations to determine the ways in which the members lose their membership. However, in disregard to all these rules, the Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, in his absolute wisdom, has decided to develop alternate mechanism to deal with the situation created by resignations by PTI members and their absence from the august house for a period many times that of the permissible maximum. The gentleman has given a ruling that the matter of PTI members will be decided through a yea or nay vote by the National Assembly members. And to add some extra fun and excitement to the occasion, he has decided which facts to consider and which to ignore while deciding the case. He has determined, again in his absolute wisdom, that the resignation of the PTI members is a thing of the past and would be ignored. Now, the resignations did not become a matter of the past on their own but this situation has arisen because of the continued failure of the Speaker to do his duty and to accept these when the PTI members defiance of the assembly rules, their continued absence and derogatory remarks made it obvious that they had no intention to retain membership of an institution which, in their opinion, came about through fraudulent manipulation and rigging. So the decision will be based not on the resignation of TI members but on their absence from the assembly. Now, it seems illogical to ignore the main cause - the resignation - and to proceed and decide the issue on their absence which was primarily caused by their resignations. I think this is what they mean when they talk about treating the symptoms rather than the disease. One has got to have a sense of humour, and loads of it, in order to survive and retain mental faculties in this, should we say, a mad house, a rather large made house, which is our country or what those in authority have made of it. Karachi

Asad | 9 years ago | Reply This is called the mockery of the system. The speaker of NA was sitting on their resignations unconstitutionally for over 8 months and looking for holes to put their resignations unattended. The PTI who claimed to be only follower of the rule of law and constitution is returning to NA with all shame and disgust. Neither party is following the law and constitution. What suits them is constitution otherwise it is another junk piece of paper lying somewhere in the shelf collecting dust.

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Fawad | 9 years ago | Reply How about revoking Nawaz Sharif's membership due to a record number of days absence from the national assembly.

S.R.H. Hashmi | 9 years ago | Reply I had thought that like all other institutions of some standing, our highest institution: the National Assembly, would have rules and regulations to govern the conduct of its business, and would have clear-cut rules to determine the qualification or disqualification of its members. And in fact, our National assembly does have rules and regulations to determine the ways in which the members lose their membership. However, in disregard to all these rules, the Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, in his absolute wisdom, has decided to develop alternate mechanism to deal with the situation created by resignations by PTI members and their absence from the august house for a period many times that of the permissible maximum.. The gentleman has given a ruling that the matter of PTI members will be decided through a yea or nay vote by the National Assembly members. And to add some extra fun and excitement to the occasion, he has decided which facts to consider and which to ignore while deciding the case. He has determined, again in his absolute wisdom, that the resignation of the PTI members is a thing of the past and would be ignored. Now, the resignations did not become a matter of the past on their own but this situation has arisen because of the continued failure of the Speaker to do his duty and to accept these when the PTI members defiance of the assembly rules, their continued absence and derogatory remarks made it obvious that they had no intention to retain membership of an institution which, in their opinion, came about through fraudulent manipulation and rigging. So the decision will be based not on the resignation of TI members but on their absence from the assembly. Now, it seems illogical to ignore the main cause - the resignation - and to proceed and decide the issue on their absence which was primarily caused by their resignations. I think this is what they mean when they talk about heeding the symptoms and not the disease. One has got to have a sense of humour, and loads of it, in order to survive and retain mental faculties in this, should we say, a mad house, a rather large made house, which is our country or what those in authority have made of it. Karachi

Aqalman | 9 years ago | Reply @Shakil: Pls read the news. PTI had stayed away from the parliament throughout (even if their resignations are somehow forgotten). If its illegal to vote them out, PTI would not sit like a duck.

Urban Legend | 9 years ago | Reply If its as per law, PTI shouldn't have a problem. PTI abides to law anyway so its trolls shouldn't scream and let the justice system complete its course.

Jahangur Chauhan | 9 years ago | Reply What benefit they will get of such childish actions.

Shakil | 9 years ago | Reply Good, so if majority are against any party they can vote them out of parliament! what a country!

Ali | 9 years ago | Reply PTI was better off outside the Assembly

mamu | 9 years ago | Reply PTI members acted imaturely by going into parliament. IK was right when he said he didnot opt to go, but had to go when the members decided.

Focal person | 9 years ago | Reply pakistan should not be forced into another willful political teacup turmoil...

Focal person | 9 years ago | Reply pakistan should not be forced willfully into another political teacup turmoil.

Troll | 9 years ago | Reply If parliament says 'yea', the game should take a new turn.... If says 'ney', should be a business as usual.

AK | 9 years ago | Reply Come on guys... ""voting""... just follow the law. If memership to be revoked according to the law then revoke it. This voting is ridiculous. Not a good precedent.

ABKhan | 9 years ago | Reply That is why even after 30 plus years the immature MQM cannot win votes from one whole province. The only thing good about MQM is that clown sitting in London entertain us every other day

ahmad | 9 years ago | Reply “expose open violation of the constitution and rules and regulations” what about cm punjab and pm Pakistan absence? What about the the party involment in voilence?

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