36 days on – JUI-F, MQM ministers’ resignations still not accepted

ISLAMABAD – The government continues to sit on the resignations of the JUI-F and the MQM ministers despite the fact that they had stepped down a month ago, expecting that its two estranged allies might rejoin the federal cabinet.
The resignations seem to have gone lost somewhere on the road between the Presidency and the Prime Minister’s House. The PM House says that the resignations have been sent to the Presidency while the presidential spokesman denies receiving them.
The press secretary to the prime minister, Shabir Anwer, told Pakistan Today that the prime minister’s secretariat had forwarded the resignations of the four ministers to the Presidency for necessary action.
Farhatullah Babar, press secretary to the president, told Pakistan Today that the summary of the JUI-F and the MQM’s ministers’ resignations had yet not been received in the Presidency. Similarly, a source in the Cabinet Division also confirmed that no resignation had been received from the Presidency.
However, a source said the president was not in a haste to accept the resignations as the MQM had already rejoined the coalition and it was expected that its two ministers might also make a comeback.
The resignations of the JUI-F ministers have also not been accepted. Though the JUI-F has not shown any interest to rejoin the coalition, the government is keeping its doors open.
Tourism minister Attaur Rehman, who is the younger brother of JUI-F chief Fazlur Rehman, had resigned in protest against the sacking of science and technology minister Azam Khan Swati.
Though the MQM rejoined the coalition and decide to sit on the treasury benches after the prime minister went to its headquarters in Karachi , the MQM has yet not taken a final decision on rejoining the federal cabinet.
When contacted, Attaur Rehman told Pakistan Today that his party had no intention to rejoin the coalition and the federal cabinet.
When asked if he was still using official perks and privileges, Attaur Rehman said he had no official accommodation at all. “I had no official accommodation while the former housing minister Rehmatullah Kakar has also returned his official accommodation. We had also returned the official vehicles soon after submitting our resignations,” he added.