ISLAMABAD, May 18: The Pakistan Muslim League (Q) is violating the Political Parties Order, 2002, which, if enforced strictly, should disqualify chief ministers of Punjab and Balochistan, two federal ministers and an adviser to PM, from holding their public offices.

The same law was invoked in respect of the PPP and PML-N and both had to change their leadership as a result.

Dr Babar Awan, a PPP lawyer, told Dawn that the Political Parties Order, 2002, promulgated by Chief Executive Gen Pervez Musharraf, had made it mandatory for the holders of elected public offices not to hold party offices.

Under the same law, the military government had asked the political parties to get themselves registered, or they would not be allowed to contest the elections. The law provided that a person convicted by any court would not be permitted to head a political party, and both the PPP and PML (N) changed their leadership to ensure their registration.

The PML(Q) leadership is violating section 9 of the PPO. Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervez Ellahi, Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Yousaf Ali, Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri, Commerce Minister Humayun Akhtar, Adviser to Prime Minister Nelofar Bakhtiar, and a Punjab minister, Arshad Lodhi, can either lose their party office or the elected office if this provision is invoked.

The Punjab and Balochistan CMs are the party heads in their respective provinces. Similarly, Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri and Humayun Akhtar are the Vice-Presidents of PML(Q).

Punjab minister Arshad Lodhi is the secretary-general of the party’s provincial chapter while Nelofar Bakhtiar is heading the party’s women’s wing.