APDM all set to quit assemblies
Fate of NWFP assembly uncertain amid counter moves
Staff / Bureau Report

ISLAMABAD—MMA central leader Liaqat Baloch has said resignations of 83 members of National Assembly (NA) of component parties of All Pakistan Democratic Movement (APDM) will be filed with NA speaker or secretary NA today (Tuesday). He said this while talking to the journalists here Monday. He told this was the decision, which had been taken on the APDM platform, and they stood by this decision.
“We will poke last nail in general Musharraf rule as his re-election was illegal and unconstitutional. Opposition parties are tendering resignations from APDM platform which are opposed to dictatorship”, he added. He went on to say time has come PPP should give resignations and join hands with APDM in blocking president Musharraf. APDM will file resignations of members of provincial assemblies with speaker today while decision has also been taken to dissolve NWFP assembly, he told.
Meanwhile MMA deputy parliamentary leader Hafiz Hussain Ahmad has also filed his resignation with secretary NA Karamat Hussain Niazi. He went on foot from parliament lodges to parliament house and met with Karamat Hussain Niazi and presented his resignation. Talking to media persons after filing his resignation he said he had earlier presented his resignation to MMA president Qazi Hussain Ahmad but Qazi Hussain Ahmad had not sent this resignation to the speaker NA.
“ I also presented my resignation from APDM platform but it was misplaced. Therefore I have given my resignation to NA secretary so that it could not be misplaced”, he added. He underlined that passage of women protection bill and Lall Masjid operation were the main reasons behind his resignation.
Federal Minister for Political Affairs and President of PML NWFP, Engr Amir Muqam has said that submission of no-confidence motion against NWFP Chief Minister is aimed at blocking dissolution of provincial assembly whereas the option of resignation is open for MMA. Addressing a press conference here at his residence on Monday, Amir Muqam said if the MMA leadership is firm on its stand of resignation, it should go ahead and tender resignation on set date of Oct 2.
Amir Muqam was flanked by leader of opposition in NWFP Assembly, Shezada Gustasap, Parliamentary leader of PML, Mushtaq Ghani, Parliamentary leader of PPP(S), Murid Kazim, MMA MPA, Ikramullah Shahid, MPA Zareen Gul of PML and lady MPA, Riffat Akbar Swati of PPP(S). The Federal Minister criticized MMA leadership for adopting dubious stand on national issues and said that dissolution of assembly is mistrust with the mandate extended by people.
He said MMA MPAs should resign from assembly and allow the other members of assembly to cost their votes in presidential elections according to their will. Blocking way for others to cast vote is undemocratic he added. Amir Muqam said the MMA government gained favour from federal government in developmental schemes through out the five years and in the end has opted for dissolution of provincial assembly.
He also criticized NWFP government for lopsided distribution of development funds and pushing the opposition to wall. He said law and order situation of the province speaks of the inability of provincial government. The Federal Minister said federal government provided police force, army and arms, but still the law and order situation in the province is deplorable.
The renowned leader of PML (N) , Raja Zafar-Ul-Haq has strongly refuted any deal between Maulana Fazl-Ur-Rehman and government over such issues as dissolution of NWFP Assembly and en masse resignations.
While addressing a press conference in PML (N) House on Monday alongwith secretary general Zafar Iqbal Jhagra, JUI (S) head Maulana Sami-Ul-Haq, Maulana Ubaid ullah and Maulana Abdul Khaliq, he claimed to possess 88 resignations pending ready with him, and vowed that “this time the resignations were serious”.
He also defended Maulana Hafiz Hussain for not having violated the regulations of APDM, and cautioned that Speaker assembly had no right to resist “our move to resign”, which would be automatically accepted upon presenting as per rules.
Upto 42 members belonging to Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) and Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) will submit their resignation before Speaker Punjab Assembly today (Tuesday).
Member Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Lahore under the leadership of Parliamentary leader MMA Chaudhry Asghar Gujar in shape of procession will arrive at MPA hostel from Lateen Road where they alongwith other PML-N members will move towards Assembly Secretariate.
According to the decision of All Parties Democratic Movement (APDM), they will submit their resignation to Speaker Punjab Assembly at 11:00 am.
Chief of his own faction of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Sami (JUI-S) Maulana Samiul Haq said on Monday that his party MNAs and MPAs will tender resignations from the national and provincial assemblies along with the All Party Democratic Movement (APDM) legislators on Tuesday.
This was announced by him at a press conference at Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz Secretariat along with Convener APDM and PML-N Chairman Raja Zafarul Haq, PML-N Secretary General Iqbal Zafar Jhagra and PML-N Youth Wing Chief Organizer Raja Nadir Pervaiz.
Maulana Samiul Haq said that as his son Maulana Hamidul Haq Haqqani was in Saudi Arabia for performing Umrah, he himself would present his resignation letter to the Speaker National Assembly along with other APDM MNAs.