ISLAMABAD: Following directives of the party leadership, firebrand PPP Senator Faisal Raza Abidi submitted his resignation on Thursday after delivering an emotional speech.

“My party has asked me to quit and I am returning this seat to my leadership,” Mr Abidi said, showing the copy of his resignation to members while speaking during Zero Hour in the Senate.

The PPP leader did not talk about the reasons for the extreme step taken by the party leadership against him and refrained from criticising it. Instead, he praised and thanked the party leadership for giving him a ticket despite “my middle and lower class background”.

Mr Abidi, who is known for his open criticism of the judiciary, did not spare former chief justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry even in his last speech.

His party colleague and Deputy Chairman Senate Sabir Baloch asked Mr Abidi to at least spare the former chief justice since he had already resigned.

“What is the use of sitting in the house which cannot provide justice to its members?” said Mr Abidi, saying that no action had been taken on his written complaint about the alleged corruption by the former chief justice and his son, which he had submitted to the house two years ago.

The PPP senator had actually prepared for submission before the Supreme Judicial Council for which he got no support from the party which was in the government at that time.

“I was assured by all of you that the report will be presented before the house. Where is the report? This house owes it to me,” he said.