Will not resign from seat, says Gulalai amid ruckus during NA address

ISLAMABAD: Former Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) MNA Ayesha Gulalai addressed a session of the National Assembly on Monday and said she will not resign from her seat in the assembly, amid ruckus created from PTI benches. 

Gulalai, addressing the assembly after taking permission from the deputy speaker, said that she was elected on merit and would continue her duties as a lawmaker. 

She added that she gave voice to weak women and added that she never compromised over integrity.

“Imran is not a deity that he cannot be criticised, character is important,” said Gulalai over noise created by PTI lawmakers. 

She further said that allegations were hurled at her family and she received death and acid attack threats.

Gulalai said that she wanted to tell PTI's members that they too can face the same treatment in the future. 

"The trend of using abusive language should change," said the former PTI lawmaker. 

The former PTI MNA said that her sister, Maria Toorpakai, is apolitical but PTI supporters did not spare her.

The deputy speaker requested the lawmakers to maintain discipline during her address, while asking PTI leader Shireen Mazari to remain seated.

"Proud of myself"

Gulalai, speaking to the media outside the assembly, said she always spoke in favour of weak and vulnerable women.

“I am proud of myself, I fulfilled my constitutional duty,” she said.

She added that her measures strengthened the women of Pakistan.

“One PTI minister along with an armed squad attacked my sister’s hospital and broke the windows,” she alleged.

Gulalai's allegations

Gulalai, earlier had claimed that Imran Khan had sent inappropriate messages to her and hinted at tying the knot in the texts.

She claimed to have informed her father that Khan had asked her to meet him alone and took her father and brother along with her to meet the PTI chief which irked him.

Gulalai also said her father asked Khan about his intentions but he dodged the question.

"I am ready to sit in front of Imran and can confront him on the obnoxious messages that he sent. He put me through mental torture and pain," said Gulalai.

As per Gulalai, Khan first sent inappropriate messages to her in 2013.