Punjab Assembly speaker moves ECP for PTI MPs disqualification

ISLAMABAD: Punjab Assembly Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan on Thursday moved the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), seeking the disqualification of 26 PTI-backed suspended opposition members for creating "chaos" during the budget session. 

Speaking to the media after his meeting with ECP officials in Islamabad, PA speaker confirmed that he had already submitted the reference and the purpose of today’s meeting was to seek legal advice on related matters.

The disqualification reference comes just days after unrest during the provincial assembly budget session when opposition members raised slogans and disrupted the proceedings.

In an order dated June 27, the speaker, while exercising powers conferred under Rule 210(3) of the Rules of Procedure 1997, suspended the opposition members for a total of 15 assembly sessions.

“Lawmakers who fail to uphold the constitution have no right to remain part of the provincial assembly,” he said while talking to media outside the ECP office.

He further warned that any MPs involved in abusive language, vandalism, and disruptive behaviour would not be granted any leniency.

The reference filed against PTI-backed MPs include Malik Farhad Masood, Muhammad Tanveer Aslam, Syed Riffat Mehmood, Yasir Mehmood Qureshi, Kaleem Ullah Khan, Muhammad Ansar Iqbal, Ali Asif, Zulfiqar Ali, Ahmad Mujtaba Chaudhary, Shahid Javed, Muhammad Ismael, Khayal Ahmad.

Shahbaz Ahmad, Tayyab Rashid, Imtiaz Mehmood, Ali Imtiaz, Rashid Tufail, Muhammad Murtaza Iqbal, Khalid Zubair Nisar, Ch Muhammad Ejaz Shafi, Saima Kanwal, Muhammad Naeem, Sajjad Ahmed, Rana, Aourang Zaib, Shuaib Ameer and Usama Asghar Ali Gujjar.

Separately, 10 opposition lawmakers had been fined more than Rs2 million for acts of vandalism such as breaking microphones as per the relevant video evidence.

Those fined include Chaudhary Javed Kausar, Asad Abbas, Tanveer Aslam, Riffat Mehmood, Muhammad Ismael, Shahbaz Ahmad, Imtiaz Mehmood, Khalid Zubair, Rana Aourang Zaib and Muhammad Ahsan Ali — all of whom will have to pay Rs203,550 each.