ISLAMABAD: National Assembly Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf has summoned PTI MNA Abdul Shakoor Shad to explain his position on retaining his seat and verify his resignation.
The NA Secretariat has sent a notice to Shakroor Shad, asking him to appear in the chamber of the Speaker on Thursday, October 27, 2022, at 11 AM. Raja Pervaiz Ashraf summoned the Member of National Assembly in the lights of the orders of Islamabad High Court (IHC).
Shakoor Shad has been asked to clarify his position under the order issued by the Islamabad High Court on 27 September 2022 on a writ petition filed by the lawmaker against the Election Commission of Pakistan.
Last week, it may be recalled, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) extended the suspension order of the ECP to de-notify Abdul Shakoor Shad by two weeks. Chief Justice Athar Minallah heard the petition against the approval of Shakoor Shad’s resignation.
The petitioner’s lawyer told the court that the parliamentarian was barred from attending the session of the National Assembly and requested the chief justice to pass an order against it. However, the judge rejected the request and stated that he respects speaker of the parliament and the parliament.
The chief justice remarked that the NA speaker should consult with Abdul Shakoor to ask him about his decision regarding membership in the assembly.
The deputy attorney general requested the court to allow leverage of two weeks for the resolution of the issue as the speaker had recently returned from abroad.
It must be mentioned that Abdul Shakoor Shad was among the eleven lawmakers whose resignations were accepted by NA Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf on July 28. The ECP had issued a notification in this regard the de-notified the MNA.
Soon after that development, Shakoor Shad approached the Islamabad High Court (IHC) and stated he had not resigned from his seat, claiming that he submitted a computerized letter to express solidarity with then prime minister Imran Khan.
The court then suspended a notification ECP for declaring NA-246 Lyari as vacant, and directed him to join the proceedings of the National Assembly.
It is pertinent to mention here that the PTI took action against Abdul Shakoor Shad for filing a petition in court for claiming that he never resigned as MNA. PTI Sindh chapter issued a notice and suspended Shad’s party membership.
The notice said that Shad stated “countless times, both verbally and in writing” that he had resigned but he “suddenly went against the party policy” and filed in a petition in the IHC contradicting his statements.
Shad had spoken against the party on various occasions. It also noted that Shad withdrew his nomination papers as a covering candidate for PTI Chairman Imran Khan in the NA-246 by-election despite “strict party instructions.”
It directed the MNA to submit his response within seven days for “gross misconduct and violation of party rules”, thus suspending his basic party membership.
