Despite resistance by ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Senate Chairman Raza Rabbani Wednesday accepted Nehal Hashmi's request to withdraw his resignation from the Senate seat. In his ruling, Rabbani declared: "I hereby pronounce that the notice issued for personal appearance of Senator Nehal Hashmi at 10:00am on June 7 at chairman Senate's chamber has become in fractious...the resignation stands withdrawn."
He said that Hashmi had requested him to withdraw his resignation in a meeting in his chamber. Rabbani asked the Senate secretary to convey the development to Raja Zafarul Haq, Leader of the House, and Parliamentary Leader PML-N Senator Mushahid Ullah Khan.
According to Rabbani's detailed ruling on the matter, Hashmi had tendered his resignation from his seat in the Senate due to certain circumstances. The document adds that Hashmi was directed to appear in his chamber to ascertain whether the resignation is genuine and voluntary, and he intends to relinquish his seat in the Senate. However, the senator had stated a variety of reasons, including extenuating circumstances and requested his meeting with the chairman be postponed.
While quoting the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the House 2012, the ruling said that "resignation shall become effective after verification by the chairman from the member" and the same has been said in a long trail of judgements of the superior courts. While the process of verification was under way, the senator submitted an application asking for withdrawal of his resignation stating it was given "under quite unusual circumstances," the ruling said. So the senator had admitted the 'non-voluntaries of the resignation' and the resignation stands withdrawn, it concluded.
In the application, Hashmi said that he had tendered his resignation "under quite unusual circumstances." The senator had submitted his resignation to the Senate chairman last week after the release of a video clip showing him hurling threats against the judges of the Supreme Court and members of the Joint Investigation Team probing Panama Papers allegations. After the senator requested the withdrawal of his resignation, a delegation of legislators from the ruling party led by Raja Zafarul Haq, Mushahid Ullah Khan and others requested the Senate chairman to accept Hashmi's earlier resignation since he had already been suspended from the party following the release of a controversial video.