ISLAMABAD: After accepting their resignations, National Assembly Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf told PTI leaders they could not return to the lower house on Monday.
After PTI Chairman Imran Khan was ousted by a no-confidence motion in April 2018, the party’s NA lawmakers resigned.
Raja Pervaiz Ashraf initially accepted 11 MNA resignations. On January 17 and 20, 34 and 35 PTI MNAs resigned.
Several MNAs withdrew their resignations and asked the speaker to reject them. On January 25, the NA speaker accepted the final resignations.
The 43 MNAs petitioned the Lahore High Court (LHC), which suspended the ECP’s orders on February 8.
PTI MNAs sought similar relief from the LHC later. The court only ordered the ECP to suspend Punjab PTI MNA denotification.
The electoral body suspended its denotification of 32 PTI MNAs last Friday in accordance with the LHC’s order. It also stopped the constituency by-elections.
Amir Dogar, Kanwal Shauzab, Sajida Begum, Aamer Mehmood Kiani, Amjad Niazi, and others met the NA speaker in Islamabad today.
The NA Secretariat stated that PTI leaders informed the speaker of their resignations and demanded Ashraf rescind them.
However, the speaker said he had accepted the resignations in accordance with the Constitution, rules, and laws.
“Despite my letters, no PTI member responded. I accepted resignations after meeting Amir Dogar and Asad Qaiser delegations “said.
Qaiser’s delegation, which met with him in December, requested that the PTI’s resignations be accepted, the speaker said.
“Since it was their request, I am bound by the Constitution [to follow through],” he said. Ashraf said he would consult with his legal team and inform the PTI in accordance with their latest request.
