PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry accused on Tuesday National Assembly (NA) Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf of “running away” from accepting the remaining resignations of his party lawmakers.

The PTI had announced mass resignations from the National Assembly in April, a day after party chief Imran Khan’s ouster as the prime minister through a no-confidence vote and shortly before Shehbaz Sharif was elected as his successor.

On July 28, the National Assembly speaker accepted the resignations of only 11 PTI lawmakers who had resigned after the vote of no confidence against the former PM.

The PTI had first challenged the move in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on August 1, contesting that it was “unsustainable”. The IHC, however, had dismissed the petition on September 6.

The party then approached the Supreme Court, praying it to set aside the IHC order, terming it “vague, cursory, and against the law”. A decision on the PTI’s plea in the apex court is still pending.

Meanwhile, in a letter addressed to PTI Vice-Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi last week, the National Assembly Secretariat said that Ashraf will once again invite PTI MNAs for verification of their resignations.

It stated that the speaker shall once again invite the MNAs concerned to appear “one by one for verification of their resignations” according to sub-rule 2(b) of the above-mentioned Rule 43. It does not mention when they will be called for verification.

Speaking to journalists about the matter in Lahore today, Fawad said that former chief whip of PTI Malik Aamir Dogar called on Ashraf today but he was "nowhere to be found".

“He was told that the speaker has gone to Larkana,” Fawad claimed. “We’re getting information that he’s going to Australia afterward.”

He further said the PTI will have to approach the Supreme Court if the resignations were not accepted.

“I want to tell the speaker that tendering resignations is our constitutional right,” the PTI leader said, adding that Ashraf should “accept the resignations and hold countrywide elections".

PTI delegation to meet Ashraf soon

On the other hand, the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) reported that Ashraf had welcomed Dogar's gesture of contacting him.

It said that the former PTI chief whip had called the NA speaker and sought time from him to meet and discuss the party resignations.

"Supporting the continuity of dialogue among political leaders and parties, the speaker said there was always room for discussion and dialogue among politicians," the report said.

It also quoted Ashraf as saying that there was a clear procedure in the Constitution and the Rules of Business of the National Assembly regarding the confirmation of resignations of MNAs and this procedure would be followed in letter and spirit.

"Dogar thanked the speaker, adding that a delegation comprising PTI Vice Chairperson Shah Mehmood Qureshi, former defence minister Pervez Khattak, and some other senior leaders of PTI wanted to discuss the issue of resignations."

The APP report added that both parties agreed that a delegation comprising senior PTI leadership would meet Ashraf soon after his return from Garhi Khuda Baksh.