ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial today advised the MNAs of Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf to return to the National Assembly (NA) by withdrawing their resignations.
The CJP stated this on Thursday while hearing an appeal of the PTI against Islamabad High Court decision about ‘peace-meal’ approval of the resignations of its 123 MNAs.
In its appeal, the PTI wants all of the 123 resignations declared approved. In its original petition before the IHC, PTI sought an injunction against NA Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf’s decision to approve resignations after giving personal audience to the MNAs. The PTI termed it as ‘peacemeal’ approval of the resignations.
As the IHC has rejected the PTI petition this week, the party has challenged the ruling in the Supreme Court.
During today’s hearing, CJP Bandial said that people had elected MNAs for five years and the PTI must play its role in the Parliament.
Justice Bandial said that floods have displaced millions of people who do not have potable water and food and holding bye-elections on 123 seats would incur huge expenses.
The Chief Justice said that it was difficult to interfere in the work of the NA speaker and IHC chief justice Athar Minallah had given the verdict after careful consideration.
Bandial said that PTI must not act in haste and the court was offering it another opportunity to reconsider its decision, hence the apex court asked PTI lawyer Faisal Chaudhry to get fresh instruction from the party for this case.
