ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) Friday de-notified the legislative memberships of 11 members of the National Assembly (MNAs) of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) whose resignations were approved by NA Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf a day earlier Thursday.
Nine of the de-notified MNAs were elected on general seats and two on women-reserved seats.
Ali Muhammad Khan (NA-22 Mardan), Fazal Muhammad Khan (NA-24 Charsadda), Shaukat Ali (NA-31 Peshawar), Fakhar Zaman (NA-45 Kurram), Farrukh Habib (NA-108 Faisalabad), Ijaz Shah (NA-118 Nankana Sahib), Jamil Khan (NA-237 Malir-Karachi), Muhammad Akram(NA-239 Korangi-Karachi),Shakoor Shad(NA-246 South- Karachi), Dr Shireen Mazari(reserved seat-Punjab) and Shandana Gulzar (reserved seat– Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa) are the lawmakers de-notified in a notification issued by ECP Deputy Director Coordination Tauqir Iqbal.
In April this year, some 131 out of a total of 155 PTI MNAs had resigned from NA and submitted their resignations to the speaker NA after the then Prime Minister Imran Khan was removed from the office through a no-confidence motion lodged by the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM).
One PTI MNA Aamir Liaquat (passed away last month) and by-election on his seat NA-245 Karachi is scheduled on the coming August 21. Of the remaining 154 PTI MNAs, the NA speaker has approved the resignations of only 11 MNAs allegedly out of politically-motivated reasons.
After de-notification, it is likely that the electoral body would issue the by-elections schedule on the vacant seats soon. Article 224 (4) of the Constitution provides that when, except by dissolution of the NA or a provincial assembly, a general seat in any such assembly has become vacant not later than 120 days before the term of that assembly is due to expire, an election to fill the seat shall be held within 60 days from the occurrence of the vacancy.
Meanwhile, the electoral body has reserved verdict on the resignation of Faisal Niazi from the Punjab Assembly. Niazi was elected from PP-209 Khanewal on Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) ticket in 2018 general elections. He left N-League and joined PTI ahead of July 17 by-elections on 20 PA seats.
Niazi was summoned by the ECP on July 19 to verify his resignation, on the grounds that his resignation looked “suspicious” to the electoral body, but Niazi could not appear before the electoral body reportedly because he was suffering from coronavirus. Niazi told the media then that he would appear before the ECP to confirm his resignation once he recovered from the ailment. The PA officials have appeared before the ECP to confirm Niazi’s resignation.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2022
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