ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) suspended notification of Speaker National Assembly Raja Pervaiz Ashraf by which he had accepted resignations of 3 PTI Members of National Assembly Asad Umar, Ali Nawaz Awan and Raja Khurram. The IHC has also stayed by-elections on these seats.
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All the three PTI lawmakers from Islamabad, including Asad Umar, had challenged the acceptance of their resignations from the National Assembly in the IHC. The application was filed by Barrister Ali Zafar and Barrister Gohar Ali.
In the petition, they took the stand that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) accepted the resignations of some PTI members in the notification issued on January 17, 2023, when the resignations of all 123 members should have been accepted and all should have been de-seated.
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In their petition, they also requested the IHC to suspend said notification of the Election Commission till the decision is taken.”
Background:
On January 17, National Assembly (NA) Speaker, Raja Pervaiz Ashraf approved the resignations of 34 PTI Members of the National Assembly besides Awami Muslim League (AML) chief Sheikh Rashid Ahmad. Immediately, following the acceptance of the resignations, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) de-notified them.
From Islamabad constituencies, the resignations of Raja Khurram Nawaz, Asad Umar and Ali Nawaz Awan were accepted.