ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) leader Asad Qaiser on Wednesday termed the acceptance of resignations of dozens of party lawmakers by National Assembly Speaker Pervaiz Ashraf a “grave injustice” to the speaker’s office, while also claiming that the move would benefit the former ruling party, Dawn.com reported.

The PTI had resigned en masse from the lower house of parliament following the ouster of PTI Chairman Imran Khan in April last year. Subsequently, the NA speaker accepted only 11 of the resignations, stating that the remaining lawmakers would be summoned individually for verification.

However, in an apparent bid to scuttle PTI’s purported plan to bring a confidence motion against Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Mr Ashraf on Tuesday accepted the resignations of 34 PTI lawmakers and Awami Muslim League chief Sheikh Rashid, resulting in their de-notification by the electoral watchdog.

The move surprised the PTI as well as political experts because just two weeks ago, the speaker had stated that the resignations would only be accepted once the lawmakers appeared in person for verification. Commenting on the matter during an interview on Geo News show ‘Capital Talk’, Mr Qaiser said: “I think the speaker committed a great injustice to his office.

Former NA speaker terms piecemeal acceptance of resignation letters ‘grave injustice’ to speaker’s office

“When you occupy a constitutional position, then you should make decisions keeping in mind the law and the Constitution. You have to act in accordance with the law [rather] than fulfilling the wishes of political people,” said the former NA speaker.

Mr Qaiser noted that the NA speaker had recently told a PTI delegation in a meeting that the party’s lawmakers would be summoned individually for verification of their resignations. “Did he complete that process? What he has done is totally illegal and unconstitutional,” the PTI leader claimed.

He said the PTI had demanded that all of its resignations be accepted collectively and questioned why “piecemeal” acceptance was taking place.

“Basically they do politics and try to frustrate us. And what is the impact? The stock market has crashed.”

Mr Qaiser further said that Speaker Ashraf had told the PTI delegation that visited him that he would make sure they were given time to voice their concerns while also urging them to return to parliament.

Ergo, there was a “contradiction” in the NA speaker’s words and his actions, he said, adding that those in positions of power had to think about the country’s interest over political interests. “Whatever he has done will be a dirty stain in our assembly’s history.”

He also alleged that the speaker accepted the resignations on the orders of PPP co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari. He expressed befuddlement over the government’s plans seeing as how the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assemblies stood dissolved. He said that the acceptance of the PTI resignations had benefited the party as the by-election would take place alongside provincial polls.

“The cards they are playing are turning against them and benefiting the PTI.”

He said that PTI Chairman Imran Khan would contest the polls on all the seats vacated in the NA. He asserted that the government had “facilitated” the PTI by accepting the resignations as Imran’s name would be plastered everywhere while campaigning.

Published in Dawn, January 19th, 2023