MQM members attend NA proceedings

ISLAMABAD: The parliamentarians from the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) turned up in the House on Friday after withdrawing their resignations which they tendered in second week of August last while expressing their reservations about Karachi operation.
Acting speaker Murtaza Javed Abbasi announced that MNAs belonging to the MQM have withdrawn their resignations given in August this year under protest. He said they are attending the proceedings of the House .
In all, 22 MQM MNAs withdrew their resignations and attended the House on Friday. Two members Khalid Mqbool Siddiqui and Asif Hasnain could not withdraw their resignations as they could not reach Islamabad due to personal reasons.
Referring to Article 54 of the Constitution, the chair in his ruling pointed out that there was reasonable material and circumstances available on the record to augment perception that the resignations may not be voluntary and genuine and true intention was not to vacate the seats.
He said that it is now well-settled principle of law that the resignations to take effect under Article 54 of the Constitution is dependent on the fulfilment of constitutional duty of the speaker to be satisfied that the resignations are voluntary, genuine and the member actually intended to relinquish, relieve or quit the seat.
He said that the speaker under constitutional duty is to undertake inquiry that whether the three factors were met or not. He said the MQM members of the Senate withdrew their resignations on November 02 and they are attending Senate proceedings.
He said the MQM MNAs also withdrew their resignations on November 5 and they are present in the House.