LHC accepts plea for early hearing of petition against PTI defectors

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) accepted Tuesday a plea seeking early hearing of a petition calling for the disqualification of PTI defectors.

Justice Shujaat Ali Khan, hearing the miscellaneous application moved by Sibtain Khan and other PTI leaders, set May 13 as the hearing date of the petition.

The PTI leaders moved the high court, requesting it to issue directives for the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to decide a reference seeking the disqualification of 26 PTI defectors for lifetime at the earliest.

Also Read: PTI seeks LHC order to de-seat defecting party members

They stated that the Punjab Assembly speaker had sent the reference to the ECP, but it had not yet decided the matter.

The petitioners were of the view that the matter was of immense significance and pleaded with the LHC to direct the election monitoring body to decide the case as soon as possible.

Punjab Assembly Speaker Pervaiz Elahi had last month sent the reference against 26 dissident MPAs of PTI to the election commission, seeking their lifetime disqualification for violating party discipline.