Disqualification references: ECP to announce verdict regarding dissident PTI MPAs

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) will announce its reserved verdict on the disqualification references against 25 dissident members of the provincial assembly (MPAs) of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

The PTI had filed the disqualification references against its 25 dissident MPAs who voted for Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) leader Hamza Shehbaz for the position of the Punjab chief minister.

The election commission had reserved its verdict in the disqualification references on Tuesday which will be announced today.

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It is pertinent to mention here that the Supreme Court (SC) had given its verdict on the presidential reference seeking its interpretation of Article 63-A in which it was stated that votes cast against party direction could not be counted and must be disregarded.

The verdict read that this is so regardless of whether the party head, subsequent to such vote, proceeds to take, or refrains from taking, action that would result in a declaration of defection”.

The ECP’s verdict is particularly significant following the SC’s ruling regarding the Article 63-A as 25 PTI dissidents had played their role to help Hamza Shahbaz being elected the Punjab chief minister, otherwise, he would lose the majority.

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Article 63-A seeks to restrict lawmakers from voting (or abstaining) in violation of party instructions “in relation to election of the prime minister or chief minister; or a vote of confidence or a vote of no-confidence; or a money bill or a Constitution (amendment) bill”.

The dissident lawmakers included Raja Sagheer Ahmed, Malik Ghulam Rasool Sangha, Saeed Akbar Khan, Mohammad Ajmal, Abdul Aleem Khan, Nazir Ahmed Chohan, Mohammad Amin Zulqernain, Malik Nauman Langrial, Mohammad Salman, Zawar Hussain Warraich, Nazir Ahmed Khan, Fida Hussain, Zahra Batool, Mohammad Tahir, Aisha Nawaz, Sajida Yousaf, Haroon Imran Gill, Uzma Kardar, Malik Asad Ali, Ijaz Masih, Mohammad Sabtain Raza, Mohsin Atta Khan Khosa, Mian Khalid Mehmood, Mehar Mohammad Aslam and Faisal Hayat.