IHC serves notices on PTI plea challenging phase-wise resignation acceptance of MNAs
PTI had challenged "piecemeal" acceptance of MNAs' resignations; NA speaker, ECP served notices
August 04, 2022
- Acting IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq hears PTI's plea.
- National Assembly speaker, secretary, and ECP served notices.
- PTI challenged "piecemeal" acceptance of MNAs' resignations.
ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has served notices to relevant officials and institutions on PTI's plea challenging the "piecemeal" resignation acceptance of its lawmakers.
IHC acting Chief Justice Aamer Farooq issued notices to National Assembly Speaker Raja Pervez Ashraf, the NA secretary, and the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).
PTI Secretary-General Asad Umar — on behalf of his party — had filed a plea in the IHC on Monday after the NA speaker accepted the resignations of 11 MNAs.
However, in the petition, the PTI leader demanded that all 123 MNAs should be de-notified together and their seats be declared vacant.
Before adjourning proceedings till August 16, the acting IHC CJ directed the representatives of the NA secretary to appear before him along with the relevant record at the next hearing.
Following the passage of the no-confidence vote against PTI Chairperson Imran Khan — the only prime minister to be removed through the move — his party's MNAs resigned en masse in April.
The IHC registrar's office had earlier raised an objection to the petition regarding the absence of an authority letter. However, the objections were later removed and the petition was fixed before Acting Chief Justice Justice Farooq, who heard it today.
Asad, in the petition filed through his counsel Shoaib Shaheen, stated the PTI MNAs had tendered their resignation after the no-confidence vote, and Shah Mahmood Qureshi announced the decision.
The then-deputy speaker Qasim Suri had accepted the resignations, the petitioner stated, contending that the sitting speaker has no authority to delay the acceptance of resignations.
He maintained that the speaker is bound to send the resignations to the ECP, which would announce by-elections on the vacant seats.
