ISLAMABAD: National Assembly (NA) Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq on Tuesday deferred voting by one week on a resolution,submitted by the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (JUI-F), to de-seat members of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) from the NA owing to their absence from the lower house of parliament during the party's 126-day sit-in in Islamabad,

Finance Minister Ishaq Dar informed the Speaker that the government wants to move forward with a positive approach, and that voting on resolution against the PTI should be deferred as the government is ready to discuss issues with the party outside the parliament.

PTI leader Shah Mehmood Qureshi said that his party wants to play positive role in parliament but the house may de-seat PTI MNAs if it deems it appropriate.

Earlier on April 22, members of the MQM and the JUI-F requested the NA Speaker consider motions moved by MQM MNA Muhammad Salman Khan Baloch and JUI-F MNA Naeema Kishwer.

The motions called for the seats of 28 PTI members ─ who were absent without leave of the NA for 40 consecutive days of sitting ─ to be declared vacant under Clause (2) of Article 64 of the Constitution.

It is important to mention here that the MQM and the JUI-F moved motions on April 22 under rule 44 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the National Assembly, 2007 to de-seat PTI members of the NA but Ayaz Sadiq said that the consideration of motions regarding the de-seating of PTI MNAs will be taken up after seven days under 'Rules and Procedures’.

The names of the PTI MNAs mentioned in the motion include: Engineer Hamidul Haq, Asad Umar, Sajid Nawaz, Ghulam Sarwar Khan, Imran Khattak, Imran Khan, Engineer Ali Muhammad Khan Advocate, Amjad Ali Khan, Mujahid Ali, Shafqat Mehmood, Aqibullah, Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Hussain Qureshi, Shehryar Afridi, Rai Hassan Nawaz Khan, Khiyal Zaman Orakzai, Arif Alvi, Dr Muhammad Azhar Khan Jadoon, Dr Shireen Mehrunnisa Mazari, Dawar Khan Kundi, Munaza Hassan, Col (retd) Ameerullah Marwat, Nafeesa Inyatullah Khan Khattak, Murad Saeed, Sajida Begum, Junaid Akbar, Ayesha Gulalai, Qaiser Jamal and Lal Chand.

PTI announced on August 18 last year that it would boycott the national and provincial assembles as all other options of relief against alleged election rigging were exhausted. However, earlier this year, the party decided to join parliament after almost seven months of absence from the assemblies.

Read more: PTI decides to join Parliament after seven-month boycott

Replacement of KP transformers

Minister of State for Water and Power Abid Sher Ali told the NA that 382 transformers have been replaced in Charsadda, Mardan and Lakki Marwat districts in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to ensure the smooth supply of electricity in the province, Radio Pakistan reported.

The minister replied to a calling attention notice moved by Maulana Muhammad Gohar Shah and others regarding the non-replacement of transformers in the districts which are out of order and overloaded.

He said that faulty transformers are replaced within 24 hours but it would take four to five days for the replacement of transformers in high-loss areas.

Read more: Centre, KP agree to resolve energy dispute by dialogue