Shah Mahmood Qureshi writes to NA speaker to verify resignations

ISLAMABAD: Former foreign minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Vice-Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi has penned down a letter to National Assembly (NA) Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, urging him to verify the remaining resignations of party lawmakers, ARY News reported on Thursday.

According to details, the former federal minister wrote a letter to NA Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, noting that party MNAs can return to National Assembly for verification of their resignations.

In the letter, Shah Mahmood Qureshi pointed out that 123 PTI MNAs submitted written resignations to former Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri on April 11, 2022. “The lawmakers had submitted resignations as per constitution and assembly rules”, the letter added.

“The resignations were accepted by the then Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly on April 13, 2022,” it noted, adding that Secretary National Assembly Mr Tahir Hussain had also issued a notification in this regard.

The PTI vice-Chairman regretted that the incumbent government has not followed the orders passed from former deputy speaker. “Later, only 11 resignations were accepted illegally on July 28,” it stated, alleging: “You [Raja Pervaiz] have used the position to give political advantage to the government.”

“We once again formally request you [Raja Pervaiz] to verify the remaining resignations without any delay,” Shah Mahmood Qureshi said, hoping that the speaker will not delay the matter any further.

Earlier in the day, it was reported that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) decided to write a letter to National Assembly (NA) Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf to seek time for lawmakers’ resignations.

It is pertinent to mention here that NA Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf had said that he will not accept the resignations if he finds lawmakers facing any kind of pressure.

NA Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf said in a statement that the dissolution of the assembly before the completion of the tenure will not strengthen democracy. He added that the option of backdoor talks is always available for all stakeholders.