(AFP File Photo)
The National Movement Party confirmed Monday it has rejected the resignation of its head Ahmed Shafiq, who resigned Saturday over his inability to perform his duties from outside Egypt.
The party’s higher committee met on Monday and discussed the former presidential runner-up resignation and decided to reject it.
Yahia Qadry, deputy head of the party, told Daily News Egypt that a delegation from the general secretary and the higher committee of the party will fly to the UAE to convince Shafiq to change his mind on the resignation.
Shafiq, who was a former prime minister and civil aviation minister under Hosni Mubarak, left to the United Arab Emirates in June 2012. His departure came days following the announcement of the final results in the presidential race, which saw the Muslim Brotherhood’s Mohamed Morsi become president. Shafiq has remained in the UAE since, amidst reports he was “persona non grata” by the Muslim Brotherhood and the regimes that followed.
In his statement, the retired air force general said his resignation decision came due to the “hard conditions” under which he has been conducting his job. The party’s statement explained the conditions are living outside Egypt.
Qadry also told Daily News Egypt there is no legal ban on Shafiq’s return to Egypt, but he cannot leave Egypt afterwards. This is due to a travel ban related to an ongoing case, where Shafiq stand trial accused of misuse of public funds.
Shafiq along with Mubarak’s sons, Alaa and Gamal, and other defendants, were being tried for selling 40,000 sqm of land below market prices to former regime officials, including Alaa and Gamal through the Pilots Land Association. The land was reportedly sold for 75 piasters per sqm, in contrast with the market price of EGP 8 at the time.
The court in the case ruled it does not fall under its jurisdiction, but the case was referred to public prosecution who resumed investigations whilst upholding Shafiq’s travel ban.
