IHC dismisses PTI plea against approval of MNAs resignations

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday dismissed a petition of PTI against the ‘phase-wise’ acceptance of resignations of its MNAs, ARY News reported.

Chief Athar Minallah after hearing arguments of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) counsel dismissed the petition.

Chief Justice of the high court remarked that the Speaker after being satisfied has approved 11 resignations of the PTI MNAs. “This court is not authorized to review the level of satisfaction of the Speaker,” Justice Minallah remarked.

“We have to change our thinking and to respect the Parliament,” Chief Justice IHC said.

“Islamabad High Court has set some parameters in its prior decision,” the bench observed. “It is not their duty to represent their voters in the Parliament till their resignations are approved,” Justice Minallah questioned.

“Every member who has resigned, should individually appear before the Speaker to verify his resignation,” the judge said. “This court will not issue instructions to the Speaker,” Justice Athar Minallah remarked.

“What the deputy speaker did was against the law and judicial decisions,” he observed. “The court will not interfere in the affairs of the parliament,” the bench said.

PTI counsel Faisal Chaudhry in his arguments said that the efforts are being made to break the party with pick and choose.

“The members are not alone, they are representatives of their constituencies. All people are bound to follow the constitution and the law,” Justice Minallah said.

PTI lawyer said that deputy speaker Qasim Suri had earlier approved resignations of the PTI members. “The notification of deputy speaker Qasim Suri was unconstitutional,” Chief Justice IHC said.

It is pertinent to mention here that NA Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf had accepted resignations of 11 PTI MNAs.

All the PTI lawmakers had earlier resigned en masse on April 11, two days after former prime minister Imran Khan was ousted from the top office after the no-confidence motion moved by the joint opposition in the parliament against him succeeded.