SC combines petitions on MQM, PTI resignations

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Wednesday ordered to combine the petitions pertaining to the resignations of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) lawmakers.
The apex court issued notices to 97 respondents including the prime minister, leader of the opposition, Senate chairman, NA and Sindh Assembly speakers in the case on the resignations of PTI and MQM legislators.
A three-member bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali was hearing a petition filed by Syed Zaffar Ali Shah.
The petitioner argued that resignations of the MQM lawmakers became affective the day they personally confirmed it in front of the assembly speakers. He said that any attempt to bring them back to the assemblies would be a non-democratic act.
Zaffar Ali Shah requested the apex court to order approval of resignations and direct the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to hold the by-elections on vacant seats.
Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali remarked that the petitions pertaining to the resignations of PTI and MQM would be heard together in the next hearing. He also issued a notice to MQM parliamentarians, NA and Sindh Assembly speakers, Senate chairman, prime minister, ECP and other respondents in the case. The court adjourned the hearing for an indefinite period.