Ziaullah Afridi asked to respond to disqualification reference

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Monday directed former Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader and provincial minister Ziaullah Afridi to respond to a reference seeking his disqualification from the assembly seat for joining Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) by Oct 23.  

Chief Election Commissioner Justice retired Sardar Raza, who headed a five-member bench, adjourned the hearing at the request of Afridi who sought time to file reply to the reference.

The CEC told the legislator that PTI had filed a reference seeking his disqualification from the membership of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly on the ground that he was elected on its ticket and later parted ways with the party, while joining PPP.

Earlier, on August 28, Afridi had announced joining the PPP after his meeting with PPP co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari.

On directives of PTI Chairman Imran Khan, the party had suspended the basic party membership of Ziaullah Afridi, former KP Minister for Mines and Minerals over corruption charges.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ehtesab Commission (KPEC) had ordered the arrest of Afridi on July 09, 2015 in a case pertaining to abuse of authority and allowing illegal mining, which caused billions of rupees loss to the national exchequer. He was later released on bail in October 2016 after having spent 15 months in jail.