Govt likely to make approval of PTI resignations ineffectual

ISLAMABAD: The ruling coalition has agreed to make the resignations of PTI members from the National Assembly as ineffectual, ARY News reported on Saturday.

The government alliance led by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz after thorough consultations has decided to tackle the issue of resignations of 125 legislators submitted by the PTI, with Rule 28 of the Rules of the Procedure of the house.

The matter of the ruling of Qasim Suri on resignations is likely to be produced before the house.

It is to be mentioned here that former acting speaker, Qasim Suri, who has tendered resignation from his office today, had approved resignations of the PTI members.

According to sources, the formal procedure for approval of resignations was not completed. An extraordinary gazette on the resignations was not issued from the printing press till now.

The election commission could can declare the assembly’s seats as vacant after issuance of the gazette.

The new speaker of the house could view the matter under the Rule 28 of the Rules of the Procedure of the house, according to experts.

Under this rule, approval of the assembly will be required to revisit the previous ruling, sources said. The approval from the house will make former acting speaker Qasim Suri’s ruling over resignations ineffectual, sources said.

A veteran parliamentarian and People’s Party leader Syed Khursheed Ahmed Shah while regretting PTI members’ resignations has invited them to return back to the assembly.

“Their resignations will not likely to be approved, as they are not given in handwriting,” he commented. “Fifty percent of the PTI members will likely to return to the assembly,” he was opined.

Qasim Suri on Thursday announced approval of resignations of the PTI MNAs.

Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri has stated that he has accepted resignations of 123 National Assembly members of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), who had tendered their resignations before the election of the new Leader of the House.

“The resignations of the members have been approved as per the rules,” Suri said.