LAHORE: The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf has opened a new front against the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz by filing a disqualification reference against Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif for his alleged corruption, misuse of power and concealing assets.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, the elder brother of Shahbaz, and his daughter Maryam are already facing a Supreme Court probe in Panama leak case. A PTI reference against the prime minister had been rejected by National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq.

Opposition leader in Punjab Assembly Mian Mahmoodur Rasheed and other PTI MPAs submitted the reference under Article 62 and 63 of the Constitution to assembly secretary Rai Mumtaz Husain Babar as Speaker Rana Iqbal was absent from his chambers on Friday.

A disqualification reference against a parliamentarian can be submitted only to the custodian of the house. The custodian or speaker then forwards it to the Election Commission within 30 days.

The reference, prepared by former federal law minister Babar Awan, alleges that the chief minister misused his authority by shifting his family’s Ittefaq and Chaudhry Sugar Mills to the areas in Punjab banned for the purpose as the Lahore High Court also had declared the shifting an illegal act in 2016.

It also stated that on the plea of Al-Taufeeq Bank, a London court had in 1999 declared that Shahbaz owed $17 million to the financial institution as one of the directors of the Hudaibiya Mills. Shahbaz paid back the amount in February 2000, says the reference, alleging the money was transferred to London through money laundering as no money trail was available for the transfer of the amount.

The speaker has been pleaded to forward the reference to the ECP for getting the chief minister disqualified on the two counts.

Talking to the media, Mr Rasheed said Mr Sharif violated his oath to the advantage of his personal and family benefits by shifting the two mills despite a ban and Supreme Court’s clear instructions to the contrary.

Similarly, Shahbaz transferred the money to London through illegal channels therefore he is no more sadiq (truthful) and ameen (trustworthy), the opposition leader added.

He hoped the speaker would decide the reference within 30 days and forward it to the ECP.

PTI leaders Ijaz Chaudhry, Sibtain Khan, Dr Murad Ras, Mian Aslam Iqbal, Dr Nosheen Hamid, Nabila Hakim Ali, Sadia Sohail and others were also present on the occasion.

Published in Dawn January 21st, 2017