Horse-trading: PTI govt to submit presidential reference to SC tomorrow

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government will submit the presidential reference to the Supreme Court (SC) on Monday (tomorrow) to seek the interpretation of Article 63 (A) for ending the horse-trading, ARY News reported on Sunday.

The Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs has forwarded the draft of the presidential reference for eliminating horse-trading to Prime Minister Imran Khan.

The summary of the draft presidential reference was sent to PM Imran Khan regarding the legislation to curb horse-trading following the instruction of PM’s Adviser on Parliamentary Affairs Babar Awan.

READ: PM IMRAN KHAN ANNOUNCES PARDON FOR DISSIDENT PTI MNAS

The federal cabinet will approve the draft of the presidential reference before submitting it to the Supreme Court (SC). The Cabinet Division will send a circulation summary to the ministers for its approval in a few days.

The federal government is likely to submit the reference to the SC on Monday (tomorrow) to seek clarity on the interpretation of Article 63 (A) of the Constitution.

The contents of the reference included the said article’s interpretation, clarity on the deseating of the dissident lawmakers or the lifetime disqualification and whether they would remain sadiq and ameen [honest and righteous] or not after being deseated, sources told ARY News. It will also seek the top court’s opinion regarding the implementation of Article 62 (1) (f) along with Article 63 on the turncoats.

Attorney General of Pakistan Khalid Jawed Khan said in a statement that the draft of the reference was prepared which will be submitted to the apex court for seeking the interpretation of Article 63 (A).

READ: AGP TO MOVE PRESIDENTIAL REFERENCE FOR SC OPINION OVER DEFECTION CLAUSE

Federal Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar said in a Twitter message that the presidential reference will be submitted to the top court tomorrow. He added that the interpretation of Article 63 (A) will eliminate horse-trading in national politics.

آرٹیکل 63A کی تشریح کے لئے سپریم کورٹ ریفیرینس تیار ہو گیا. کل کورٹ میں پیش کیا جائے گا. انشاءاللہ اس کیس سے پاکستان کی سیاست میں ضمیر بیچ کر لوٹا بننے کا گھناؤنا کاروبار ہمیشہ کے لئے ختم ہو جائے گا، اور ہرام کے پیسے کی سیاست میں اثرو رسوخ میں کمی آئے گی

— Asad Umar (@Asad_Umar) March 20, 2022

Sharing details of it, Babar Awan had earlier said that the president will send a reference for clarity on article 63 (A) of the Constitution and it will seek answers to two questions.

The incumbent chief justice was the head of the apex court bench that previously decided on disqualification under the said article.

“Wherever period of disqualification is not mentioned in the constitution it is interpreted as lifetime,” he said and added, “the disgruntled PTI lawmakers have chance to return and if they decide against it, they will be disqualified for lifetime.”