ISLAMABAD: Amid growing acrimony between the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N)-led government, National Assembly Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf on Tuesday accepted the resignations of 35 PTI lawmakers who had resigned after the vote of no confidence against former prime minister Imran Khan in April last year.
The NA speaker accepted the resignations of several key PTI leaders, including former economics affairs minister Hammad Azhar, ex-defence minister Parvez Khattak, ex-foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, former information minister Fawad Chaudhry, ex-planning minister Asad Umar and ex-climate minister Zartaj Gul.
The speaker also accepted the resignation tendered by Awami Muslim League (AML) chief Sheikh Rashid.
It should be noted that around 131 MNAs belonging to the PTI tendered their resignations en masse after Imran Khan's government was ousted through a no-confidence motion In April last year.
‘ECP de-notifies lawmakers with immediate effect’
Subsequently, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) de-notified the 35 MNAs belonging to the former ruling party.
According to a notification issued by the electoral authority, “Consequent upon the acceptance of resignations by the Hon'ble Speaker, National Assembly of Pakistan and in pursuance of the Notification No F.21 (4)/2022- lagis dated 17th January, 2023 of National Assembly of Pakistan, the Election Commission of Pakistan hereby de-notifies the following Members of National Assembly of Pakistan with immediate effect.”
On July 28, 2022, the speaker also approved 11 resignations of PTI members under Article 64(1) of the Constitution of Pakistan.
According to the notification, the NA speaker accepted the resignations of the following members of the lower house last year:
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