Disqualification reference: Deviant members of PTI submit response

ISLAMABAD: Deviant assembly members of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) have submitted their written replies to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) in a reference, seeking their disqualification, ARY News reported.

The ECP held a hearing on the disqualification reference of dissident members of the National Assembly. A three-member bench headed by the Chief Election Commission Sikandar Sultan Raja heard the case.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf lawyer Faisal Chaudhry took a stand to respond and asked for more material in the case, to which the Chief Election Commissioner questioned whether the material was not attached with the reference.
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Faisal Chaudhry said that no reply has been submitted by Amir Liaquat, now the commission is a tribunal, how can it function without evidence.

The counsel for the dissident members objected to further material and offered to decide on the admissibility of the reference first.

The PTI lawyer further said that the declaration of MNAs is separate, MNAs joined another party, give me a .chance to present material. “I’m presenting all public documents,” he added.

When the Chief Election Commission asked the reason for not submitting evidence with reference, Faisal Chaudhry said that the evidence was not for the members but for the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

In response to a query from a member of Sindh, the PTI lawyer said that the deviant members joined another party after which show-cause notices were issued to them.

The CEC said that he would decide on the admissibility of the reference first.

Meanwhile, Deviant members of the Punjab Assembly submitted reply to the ECP while PTI lawyers requested to suspend the membership of 25 members of the Punjab Assembly.

Later, the hearing was adjourned till May 13.