Suspending the notification issued for declaring the seat of NA-246 vacant, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Friday sought replies from the respondents by issuing notices to them, reported 24NewsHD TV channel. 

During the hearing of the petition filed by Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) member of the National Assembly (MNA) Abdul Shakoor Shad against the acceptance of his resignation by the NA speaker, his counsel said that his client, who was elected as an MNA from Lyari, Karachi in 2018 general elections, was made to sign the resignation letter to show his solidarity with the party, which had been ousted from power through a no-trust vote. 

When IHC Chief Justice (CJ) Justice Athar Minallah asked whether the speaker had called the MNA to his chamber for the verification of his resignation, his counsel replied that he had been called once. “But since he was sick he could not show up,” he explained.          

“Did the speaker accept his resignation without listening to his point of view?” the IHC CJ questioned. 

He asked Shad’s lawyer whether his client belonged to the PTI. 

When he replied in affirmative, Justice Minallah remarked if that was the case then the resignations of all PTI MNAs had become ‘doubtful’.  

PTI MNA Abdul Shakoor Shad had yesterday (Thursday, September 8, 2022) challenged the acceptance of his resignation in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) by the speaker, saying he had not given any resignation.

Reporter: Ehtesham Kiyani