IHC reserves verdict on PTI’s plea against MPs’ resignations

ISLAMABAD:The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday reserved its judgment on a petition of Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf (PTI) challenging phase-wise acceptance of its MNAs resignations and seeking to stop elections in nine constituencies.

Acting Chief Justice Aamer Farooq reserved judgment after listening arguments on petition filed by Secretary General PTI Asad Umar regarding the matter. At the outset of hearing, Speaker National Assembly’s counsel Irfan Qadir Advocate prayed the court to grant some time as they wanted to submit para-wise comments. He said that they would tell the court in the comments regarding that time’s circumstances. The lawyer said that what was wrong in it if speaker wanted to verify the resignations from members.

The court said according to the petitioner the acting speaker had accepted the resignations. What’s problem if an acting speaker issued order in this regard, it questioned. The lawyer said the matter was not as simple as being portrayed before the court.

When the no confidence move was submitted then the then speaker and deputy speaker created hurdles in it, he contended. The deputy speaker, he said, had terminated the no confidence move and later the top court declared his move as illegal. The bench remarked whatever had happened a constituency couldn’t be kept without representative.

Irfan Qadir said one person was contesting elections in nine constituencies, adding that the PTI repeatedly dragging judiciary in political affairs.The court said that the public should be given opportunity to decide their representatives and law permitted for it. After listening arguments, the court reserved its judgment .