25 dissident PTI MPAs in Punjab Assembly de-seated by ECP

Hamza Shahbaz has lost the majority in the Punjab Assembly after the de-seating of 25 MPAs 

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) de-seated 25 dissident members of Punjab Assembly for voting against the party direction in the election of CM Punjab. The Chief Election Commissioner announced the decision reserved after hearing the arguments. PTI sent the references against 25 MPAs for floor crossing during the election of CM Punjab. 

The ECP announced the unanimous verdict while accepting the reference against PTI dissidents who voted for Hamza Shahbaz in the election of Punjab chief minister, sent by Punjab Assembly Speaker Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi.

"MPAs defected from the party by voting in favour of Hamza Shahbaz," the ECP said in the verdict. Now the ECP will de-notify the 25 MPAs and by polls be called on these seats. The dissident MPAs has the right of appeal in the Supreme Court. 

This is the first de-seating under the article 63-A after the interpretation of Supreme Court. The Supreme Court has interpreted that vote of dissident MPAs wouldn’t be counted under Article 63 (A)  of the constitution.

After this decision of the ECP, Hamza Shahbaz lost the majority in Punjab Assembly. It is likely that matter will end up in the courts. It is not clear yet whether this ECP decision will affect the election of CM Pun jab in which Hamza Shahbaz was elected with 197 votes.

16 out of 25 MPAs belongs to Jahangir Tareen  group, 05 belongs to Aleem Khan group and 04 belongs to Asad Khokhar group of PTI. All these groups have been wiped out from Punjab Assembly. Now they have to decide whether they want to contest the by-elections as independent candidates or on PML-N ticket. The situation will become clear in next few days. 

                                                                     Khalid Bhatti