ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly (NA) spokesperson said Wednesday that a meeting between Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmakers and Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf has been scheduled for today to discuss their resignations which are pending for more than eight months, Aaj News reported. The spokesperson clarified that verifications will take place individually - meaning each PTI NA lawmaker will have to appear before the speaker. The PTI MNAs had submitted their resignations on April 11 this year after the then prime minister Imran Khan was ousted through a [no-confidence motion by the 13-party collation of Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM).

Then-NA deputy speaker Qasim Suri subsequently accepted the resignations of 123 PTI MNAs. However, incumbent Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf later decided to verify the resignations and accepted the resignations of just 11 lawmakers on July 27, with the PTI taking an exception to the acceptance of a select few resignations. Earlier, Pervaiz Ashraf said he would not approve any resignations unless he was satisfied that they were “voluntary and genuine”. Earlier this week, the speaker National Assembly once again reiterated that PTI members of the National Assembly would be called individually and in person to confirm their resignations. Meanwhile, a decision on a plea by the PTI for setting aside the Islamabad High Court’s verdict declaring the acceptance of PTI lawmakers’ resignations by Suri unconstitutional remains pending in the Supreme Court.

Published in The Daily National Courier, December, 29 2022

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