ISLAMABAD: National Assembly Speaker Raja Pervez Ashraf has reiterated that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) members’ resignations were accepted strictly in accordance with the Constitution and the Rules of Business of the National Assembly of Pakistan.

He also said that the very process of acceptance of PTI members’ resignations was started after meeting with the PTI delegation led by former PTI speaker National Assembly Asad Qaiser and former PTI chief whip Malik Amir Dogar.

He expressed these views, during his meeting with a PTI delegation led by former chief whip Malik Amir Dogar in connection with the matter of the PTI members’ resignations in the Parliament House on Monday.

The PTI leaders requested the speaker to withdraw his decision regarding the acceptance of their MNAs’ resignations.

Pervez Ashraf said he had repeatedly sent letters but no PTI member appeared before him. He started the process of accepting resignations when a delegation led by former speaker Asad Qaiser and Aamir Dogar requested him to do so.

The speaker observed that he was bound by the Constitution, the law, and the rules and regulations of the National Assembly.

He asked the delegation whether the PTI MNAs did not resign according to their will.

While discussing the matter of acceptance of PTI members’ resignations and their demand of seats of Leader of Opposition and Chairman Public Accounts Committee (PAC), Speaker National Assembly Pervez Ashraf informed the delegation that each PTI member was written separately for individual verification of their resignations time and again but not a single member appeared before him.

In response to the demand of the PTI delegation to reverse the decision of acceptance of PTI members’ resignations, the speaker also informed that the process of acceptance of resignations was started after his meeting with PTI delegation led by both former PTI speaker Asad Qaiser and former chief whip Malik Amir Dogar as they demanded acceptance of their resignations forthwith.

However, the Speaker assured their request for reversing the decision would be put forth before the legal team of the National Assembly Secretariat and they will be informed accordingly.

While welcoming the PTI delegation, the speaker also said that the resolution of all challenges is possible only through dialogue. He also said being the custodian of the august House, he is bound to take decisions as per Constitution, laws, and rules.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023