ISLAMABAD - The Supreme Court yesterday issued notices to Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf MNAs and Leader of the House and Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly on a petition challenging the return of PTI parliamentarians.
A three-judge bench headed by Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali was hearing the PML-N leader's appeal against IHC order. The bench said that it was a political issue therefore it should be resolved politically. Former senator of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Zafar Ali Shah, who had filed the appeal, argued that his petition involved legal issues, which should be dealt legally. He requested the court to declare all the PTI MNAs, who voluntarily tendered resignations, as ex-MNAs.
The PTI lawmakers had submitted their resignation to the National Assembly Speaker during the PTI's 125-day long sit-in last year, protesting the alleged rigging in the 2013 elections. However, the National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq did not accept their resignations.
The petitioner also prayed that the Speaker National Assembly may be directed to send the notification regarding the vacation of the seats following the resignations of PTI members. He further prayed that Election Commission of Pakistan may be directed to announce the schedule of by-election of the seats.
Furthermore, the petitioner requested the court to restraint secretary National Assembly from issuing any cheque and any financial benefits to the PTI members who had tendered their resignation.