PTI plans legal action against ‘defectors’

ISLAMABAD: Opposition PTI on Monday decided to take legal action against its lawmakers who had voted in favour of the 26th Constitutional Amendment in clear violation of the party policy.
The controversial amendment was passed by both houses of parliament on Sunday night.
The options being considered by the PTI are to send a reference to the National Assembly Spea­ker, approach the Election Com­mis­sion of Pakistan as well as the Supreme Court against these lawmakers, and urge the masses to go for their social boycott.

The PTI decided that these members will not remain part of the party.
It is worth mentioning that PTI-backed independent MNAs Zah­oor Qureshi, Aurangzeb Khichi, Usman Ali and Mubarak Zeb vot­ed in favour of the amendment.
Former NA Speaker Asad Qaiser, while talking to Dawn, said it has been principally decided that these members will not remain part of PTI.
“Govt wanted the legislation and it managed everything from co­­urt to legislators to get it. We have decided to take legal action against those members. First of all, a reference will be sent to the speaker. The Election Commis­sion and Supreme Court will also be appr­­oached against them,” he said.
“We are also considering making an appeal to the masses to start a social boycott of these legislators,” Mr Qaiser said, expressing the hope that this step will affect them the most.
The PTI’s think tank chairman Raoof Hasan said strict action would be taken against these legislators.
“However, it is a fact that Article 63-A’s definition has been changed. We will analyse the nat­ure of pressure faced by these legislators and the circumstances that compelled them to go against the party policy. We will defini­te­­ly send a reference to Na­­tional As­­sembly Speaker, but he will never take any action,” he believed.
The apprehensions that the speaker may not forward references against the PTI legislators to the ECP, or that the ECP might not take any action came in the backdrop of a statement made by Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on the floor of the National Assembly where he said that these four lawmakers had been elected as independents and were not on the PTI ticket.
“It has been decided to take up the matter with the party’s Legal Committee and the Political Committee. The decision will be shared with founding chairman Imran Khan and his decision will be final,” Mr Hasan said.
Meanwhile, MNA Zain Qureshi has denied reports he was present on the premises of parliament at the time of the passage of the constitutional amendment. He clai­med that he was underground as per the instructions of his father Shah Mehmood Qureshi. The elder Qureshi is in jail in connection with the cipher case.
“On 16th October I went to Khy­­ber Pakhtunkhwa and rem­ained there till the passage of the amendment. If anybody proves that I was in parliament house I will quit politics,” he said in a video statement.

Reference against Bazai
In a separate development, NA Speaker Ayaz Sadiq moved a reference to the ECP against PML-N legislator Adil Khan Bazai, who was elected from NA-262, to de-seat him.
The reference was forwarded on the basis of an application filed by PML-N head Nawaz Sharif as Mr Bazai had voted against the 26th Constitutional Amendment in violation of the party policy.

The ECP has been requested to declare the seat vacant.
According to media reports, the ECP has summoned Mr Bazai on Wednesday (tomorrow) for hearing.
On the other hand, PML-Q head Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain wrote to the speaker to de-seat party MNA Chaudhry Ilyas over some other issue, but the speaker has not moved any reference against him as yet.
Published in Dawn, October 22th, 2024