KARACHI, May 4: Twelve more members of the City Council are likely to tender their resignations from house committees in a couple of days, it is reliably learnt here. This will bring the total number of resignations to 83.

On April 30, 71 members submitted their resignations with the Convener of the house, Ms Nasreen Jalil, in protest against the beating up of several opposition members by a group of treasury members during the April 26 session of the house.

The convener had taken a serious notice of the incident and suspended one of the treasury members for three consecutive sessions of the council. She also suggested setting up of a house committee to investigate the matter so that appropriate action could be taken against those found guilty.

She assured the opposition that action against errant members would be taken in accordance with the relevant law. However, the opposition insisted on that all treasury members involved in the incident be disqualified. The convener advised the opposition to adopt the course of dialogue to resolve the issue.

Meanwhile, efforts were on to restore a congenial atmosphere in the City Council and settle the matter amicably through a dialogue. There were reports of contacts among leaders of various groups in this regard.

A treasury member, when contacted for his comments on the opposition’s intention to move court and lodging of an FIR, cautiously remarked: “we are making all-out efforts to contact our colleagues and to resolve the issue through a dialogue.”