Supreme Court approached for return of PTI lawmakers to NA

• Petitioner says lawmakers by resigning have deprived millions of voters of constituencies of their rights.
• Asks apex court to fulfill its constitutional obligation by directing MPs to return to NA.
• Says PTI by remaining absent from NA has provided an open field to incumbent coalition govt.

ISLAMABAD: A citizen has approached the Supreme Court to seek the return of PTI lawmakers, including PTI Chairman Imran Khan, to the National Assembly.

Engineer Qazi Muhammad Saleem filed the petition in the Supreme Court under Article 184(3) of the Constitution, making the federation, the speaker and National Assembly secretary as respondents.

The petitioner has argued that the lawmakers by resigning have deprived millions of voters of the constituencies of their rights.

He submitted that the apex court, while fulfilling its constitutional obligation, may direct these parliamentarians to return to the National Assembly to protect the fundamental rights of the voters and bring the lower house back on the political track.

“After the success of the vote of no-confidence against the former prime minister and the packing of the PTI government, Imran Khan, while giving en-block resignations, has committed an unconstitutional and childish act,” the petitioner said.

He further submitted that the country’s largest political party while remaining absent from the National Assembly has provided an open field to the incumbent coalition government which is making legislation of its choice. He cited the recent amendments to the NAB Ordinance 1999 as an example.

The petitioner has also told the Supreme Court that the PTI’s decision to resign from the National Assembly and then contest by-elections was contradictory.

The petitioner also prayed the apex court to ask for an explanation from the speaker of the National Assembly on accepting the resignations of 11 members of the PTI.