ISLAMBASD : The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) con Friday de-seated 25 Pakistan Tehreek- e- Insaf (PTI) members of Punjab assembly who voted for Hamza Shahbaz in the chief minister elections last month. Its first impact came down on Hamza Shahbaz who lost the majority after ECP’s verdict
A 3- member panel of ECP headed by chief election commissioner, Raja Sultan Sikander, announced the decision to this effect here. ECP had reserved the judgment in the case a couple of days before. The ECP in its judgment noted that the PTI dissidents violated the law and had committed defection by voting for the candidate of Pakistan Muslim League (PMLN), Hamza Shahbaz in election held for the chief minister Punjab. The PTI dissidents who lost the seat under defection clause of ECP, 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.
The ECP decision of de-seating dissident MPA of Punjab assembly has come a day after the judgment of Supreme Court of Pakistan (SCP) in the presidential reference case wherein the apex court had noted that the vote of dissident MPs will not be counted. The SCP decision paved way for de-seating of dissidents of PTI in Punjab. The apex court decision can ignite the process of expulsion of Shahbaz Sharif from the centre.
PTI welcomes decision
The leaders of PTI hailed ECP decision and claimed in their media talk that the decision of de-seating of dissidents’ in Punjab has closed a chapter of henious politics. PTI senior leader, Asad Umar ,talking to the media here said ECP decision of de-seating dissident MPAs in Punjab will have far reaching impact on Pakistan’s future politics. He said after losing majority in Punjab, Hamza Shahbaz has lost moral ground to keep hanging to power in Punjab and likewise his father, prime minister, Shahbaz Sharif, has lost ground in the centre . He said the country is left with only one option and it’s of mid term elections . He said the government should announce mud term elections in the country.
Farrukh Habib said Hamza usurped power in Punjab through goons’ and his all decisions and orders should be withdrawn forthwith. He demanded recovery of funds used by Hamza Shahbaz since his illegal takeover in Punjab.
