The Islamabad High Court has ordered the two PTI members of National Assembly who have been evicted from the Parliament Lodges to go to the assembly speaker for the resolution of their problem.
IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah on Friday heard the petition filed by two PTI MNAs: Shaukat Ali Bhatti from Hafizabad and Amir Sultan from Jhang who challenged their eviction by the Capital Development Authority.
During the hearing, the chief justice told the duo to take their issue to National Assembly Speaker Raja Pervez Ashraf as the court was avoiding to interfere in the parliament’s affairs.
The petitioners’ lawyer informed the court that the PTI MNAs were served eviction notices by the CDA on June 2 and June 3.
The judge inquired had the MNAs submitted their resignations or were they attending the assembly sessions?
The lawyer said that his clients had not tendered their resignations and were attending the assembly sessions.
He further said that besides providing residence to MNAs, the government also provides lodging facilities to their drivers who accompany them.
The judge, however, remarked that the court respected parliament and the speaker should look into it, adding that the court could not issue a writ for the provision of just one room.
The PTI MNAs on Thursday moved the IHC against the notices issued to them to vacate their flats in Islamabad’s Parliament Lodges
In their petition, they argued that ordering elected representatives of the people to vacate their official residences without giving any reason was against the law; therefore the notice issued to them by the CDA be declared null and void.
“We are the representatives of the people, and we can stay in these flats until next general elections are held,” the petition read.
They also informed the court that the authorities had thrown their luggage out of their flats, and since then some of their belongings were even missing.
