PTI MNAs to appear before NA speaker today

ISLAMABAD: The 27 Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Members of National Assembly (MNAs), who have already tendered their resignations, are scheduled to appear before the Speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq here today (Wednesday).

The speaker has already decided to meet and record the statements of the PTI MNAs individually, and not collectively, to confirm whether they had really resigned.

Consultations continued throughout Tuesday over the issue of the resignations. Those meeting the speaker in this connection include Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Syed Khursheed Shah and some ministers.

The final notice was issued by the speaker on October 24 for the confirmation of resignations which said in case the concerned MNAs did not appear on Oct 29 before the speaker, their resignations will not be accepted.

The speaker has already decided that those desired to quit will be called turn by turn to know whether they had resigned on free will or under duress. They will also be called to confirm their signatures on the resignation letter before the decision to accept it or not.

Chairman Standing Committee on Industries and Productions Asad Umar, Chairman Standing Committee for Higher Education Gulzar Khan and Chairman Standing Committee for Commerce are retaining official vehicles of the National Assembly and availing other perks. Other PTI members are also attending meetings of the respective bodies, which shows that they not interested in quitting.