JUI-F chief seeks time to mull over PTI de-seating motion

By
AFP
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JUI-F chief seeks time to mull over PTI de-seating motion
ISLAMABAD: Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Tuesday requested Speaker National Assembly Ayaz Sadiq to defer for a few days voting on a motion seeking to de-seat 28 lawmakers of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

Speaking on the floor of the National Assembly, the JUI-F chief said that there should be no break in the process of implementation of the Constitution. Pointing out that the NA Speaker had earlier deferred the motions for one week, he requested Sadiq to further delay the motion for a few more days.

The JUI-F and the MQM had brought two similar motions seeking to disqualify the PTI legislators over their absence from Parliament for 40 consecutive days during their party's protest sit-in last year. Voting on the motions was likely to take place during the National Assembly session today.

While the JUI-F has sought more time to deliberate over the matter, the MQM has so far refused to withdraw the motion.

On Monday, the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) had announced that it would vote against the motions submitted by the JUI-F and the MQM if they do not withdraw them. The ruling party hadasked both parties to withdraw the motion so that it could be not presented for voting.

"We appealed to the JUI-F and MQM to withdraw their motions as per the request of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif but if voting is done on Tuesday (today) on the motion, then the PML-N would oppose the disqualification of the PTI legislators," said Finance Minister Senator Ishaq Dar while giving a policy statement on behalf of the government in the NA.

PTI leader Shafqat Mehmood told Geo News earlier today that the party’s parliamentary members will not attend the National Assembly session until a decision is taken over the de-seating motions.

Earlier, PTI senior leader Jahangir Tareen said the government may do as it wishes if it does not want the party to stay in the National Assembly.

"They can do as they wish. If they want that we stay in the assembly, then we will gladly stay there. We had agreed that if the judicial commission's decides, we will return to the assemblies. But if they do not want us to stay in the NA, then we are not interested in staying there either," Tareen had said.