LAHORE: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has disqualified 25 PTI dissidents in Punjab Assembly who had voted in favour of Hamza Shehbaz in the Chief Minister’s election.
Chief Election Commissioner announced the unanimous verdict. In its 23-page order, the ECP said that the MPAs voted against the party line and were liable to be de-seated according to the law.
18 of the 25 lawmakers were part of estranged PTI leader Jehangir Tareen’s group, 5 belong to Aleem Khan Group, and the other two belong to Asad Khokhar Group.
Punjab Assembly Speaker Pervez Elahi had filed the reference with the ECP against the MPAs under Article 63-A of the Constitution for voting in favour of PML-N’s Hamza Shehbaz in the election for the Punjab chief minister.
The dissident lawmakers include Abdul Aleem Khan, Raja Sagheer Ahmed, Malik Ghulam Rasool Sangha, Saeed Akbar Khan, Mohammad Ajmal, 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, Faisal Hayat and Mehar Mohammad Aslam.
Hamza Shehbaz received 197 votes as opposed to the required number of 186 in the house of 371, meaning the support of PTI dissidents was key to his victory and in case they are de-seated, Hamza Shahbaz will lose the majority.
The Election Commission’s verdict has gained special significance after the Supreme Court’s interpretation of Article 63-A in which it was held that the vote of dissident MPs will not be counted.
Punjab Assembly Speaker Pervaiz Elahi had sent a reference to the ECP against 25 PTI lawmakers who voted against the party policy in the election for the Punjab chief minister on April 16.
The PTI lawmakers had argued that they did not get any clear policy guidelines from the Parliamentary Party and in absence of any direction, the party can not move against them.
After listening to their arguments, the ECP bench headed by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja reserved the verdict on Tuesday.
Earlier, the ECP, in its May 11 verdict rejected the disqualification reference against the MNAs of the PTI involved in floor crossing during the no-confidence motion against Imran Khan. The ECP said in its verdict that the reference against 20 MNAs of the PTI was not proved.
