De-seating motions against PTI lawmakers further deferred till Thursday
JUI-F, MQM believe PTI lawmakers lost legitimacy to remain in parliament due to long absence
APP

ISLAMABAD – National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq on Tuesday further deferred the de-seating motions against lawmakers of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) till Thursday.

Adjourning the motions of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-F and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) – which were moved on July 28 to de-seat PTI's 28 members – for seven days, the speaker said there would be no further delay in this regard.

In their separate resolutions, both the JUI-F and the MQM had argued that the PTI lawmakers had lost legitimacy to remain in the House due to their long absence. “Seats of PTI members be declared vacant under clause (2) of Article 64 of the constitution, who were absent without leave from the Assembly, for 40 consecutive days."

In a meeting held in his chamber, the speaker said all parliamentary leaders had agreed to defer the motions so that the JUI-F and the MQM could be convinced to withdraw their motions. Earlier, Leader of Opposition Syed Khursheed Shah, Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique, JUI-F chief Fazlur Rehman and MQM's parliamentary leader Dr Farooq Sattar had requested to defer the motion.

Fazl asked the speaker to defer JUI-F's motion for another two or three days so that it could be thoroughly discussed within the party. “There will be no harm if the motion is further deferred for two or three days as we want to hold consultation on the issue,” he said. He said his party always struggled for sovereignty of the parliament, strengthening of democracy and supremacy of the law.

– Politics of reconciliation –

"We are agreed with all political forces for sovereignty of the parliament, strengthening of democracy and supremacy of the law,” he said, adding that the JUI-F was following the politics of reconciliation and had no intention to create crisis in the country. Fazl expressed willingness to withdraw the motion if political forces succeeded to convince JUI-F for it.

Dr Sattar said that strengthening of democracy was not possible without abiding by the constitution, advising PTI members to submit a request with the chair for condoning their 40-day absence from lower house of the parliament. Endorsing the JUI-F's proposal for deferring the motions, he said that solution of the de-seating resolutions should be within the constitution and rules.

Ejaz Jakhrani urged the MQM and the JUI-F to withdraw the motions and said that the PTI – in a memorandum of understanding with the Pakistan Muslim League-N while constituting the election inquiry commission – had agreed that it would return to the parliament if the systematic rigging was not proven in the commission. And PTI will continue to play its role in the assembly and work for strengthening the democracy, he said.

– Supremacy of the parliament –

Tariqullah of the Jamaat-e-Islami said that it would be much better to decide the motions as soon as possible. Awami Muslim League chief Sheikh Rashid Ahmed also requested the two parties to withdraw their motions. Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party chief Mahmood Khan Achakzai said all the political parties were united to protect the democracy and ensure supremacy of the parliament at the time when PTI had staged a sit-in against the elected government.

Ejaz-ul-Haq said it was welcoming step of the PTI to return to the parliament and play its role for strengthening of democracy. He was of the view that the PTI should request for condoning their absence for 40 days from the parliament. He also endorsed the suggestion of the JUI-F and the MQM for deferring the motions for a couple of days.

– Anti-Pakistan statements –

Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali asked the parliamentarians to play their role for the cause of democracy, adding it was not acceptable for any citizen to hear anti-Pakistan statements from any one. Ghulam Ahmed Bilour said it would be much better if there would be a unanimous decision to vote against de-seating of the PTI lawmakers, but parliamentary forces were not in favour of it. So the MQM and the JUI-F should withdraw their motions, he added.

PTI's Vice Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi said that his party always played its role for strengthening of democracy as it believed in promoting democratic norms in Pakistan and ensuring supremacy of the parliament. He said that his party had played active role in the parliament to address the issues confronted by a common man. He said that his party had agreed that it would accept report of the inquiry commission, adding that the PTI lawmakers returned to the parliament as per the inquiry commission agreement to play their constructive role in the parliament.

State Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Shaikh Aftab Ahmad requested to forget the past bitterness and move forward on the path of democracy for national development and prosperity. He said that the government wanted to take all political parties along as they were elected-representatives of the public having mandate to take up issues of common man at the parliament effectively. He said there was a need to start a new beginning to develop an ideal society which should be peaceful and free of corruption and crimes, urging the JUI-F and the MQM to withdraw their motions.

– Controversial statements –

Saad Rafique said that the PTI should avoid giving controversial statements in the National Assembly as the House was making efforts to resolve the de-seating issue amicably. He brushed aside the impression of the PTI that there was any conspiracy to de-seat or humiliate its members in the House. He said the government has the desire to move forward and further strengthen the democratic system by taking all political forces along.

Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk

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