ISLAMABAD – In a surprising move, the deputy speaker of the National Assembly prorogued the session on Thursday, thwarting the efforts of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmakers to return to the assembly. The lawmakers had come to the assembly a day after the Lahore High Court suspended the speaker’s decision to accept the resignation of 43 PTI lawmakers and the subsequent move by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to de-notify them.
The reinstated lawmakers arrived at the assembly to attend the session, but were not allowed to enter the hall. House proceedings were held briefly before the Deputy Speaker Zahid Akram Durrani prorogued the house sine die, a day ahead of schedule, after Maulana Abdul Akbar Chitrali of the Jamaat-i-Islami pointed out the lack of quorum.
NA Speaker Raja Pervez Ashraf stated that the assembly secretariat had not received a copy of the verdict, and he was unaware of its contents. He added that the government had not received any notice and only learned about it from TV reports. The speaker said that once they receive the decision, they will read it, consult with their lawyers and experts, and then decide the way forward.
In response to the developments, Senate’s opposition leader Shahzad Waseem told reporters outside the NA secretariat that the speaker was bound to respect the court’s orders. Waseem added that the high court had clearly said that the speaker’s acceptance of resignations was illegal and that PTI lawmakers will enter the Parliament today. “God willing, we will have our opposition leader,” Waseem said.
The events at the National Assembly have raised questions about the future of the PTI lawmakers and the role of the speaker in the proceedings. The suspension of the session has created uncertainty and sparked controversy in the political arena. The situation remains fluid, and it is yet to be seen what will happen next.
