The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Monday notified the disqualification of three PTI lawmakers over their convictions in various cases, according to documents available with Dawn.com.
Last week, a Lahore anti-terrorism court acquitted PTI leader Shah Mahmood Qureshi while sentencing Dr Yasmin Rashid, Senator Ejaz Chaudhry and others to 10 years in prison over a May 9 riots case related to violence on Sherpao Bridge.
According to the notifications, Chaudhry, member of the National Assembly (MNA) Mohammad Ahmed Chatta and member of the Provincial Assembly (MPA) of Punjab Ahmad Khan were disqualified under Article 63(1)(h) of the Constitution (a person shall be disqualified from being elected [if] … he has been, on conviction for any offence involving moral turpitude, senteced to imprisonment for a term of not less than two years).
The first notification acknowledged Chaudhry’s conviction in the case ‘The State vs Dr Yasmin Rashid, etc’, reading: “As a consequence, Senator Ejaz Ahmad Chaudhry, has become disqualified under Article 63(1)(h) of the Constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan for being member of [the] Senate.
“Resultantly, Notification No.F.3(2)/2021-Cord. dated 10th March, 2021 to the extent of Ejaz Ahmad Chaudhary, as Senator, is hereby recalled with immediate effect,” the notice added, referring to the document notifying Chaudhry’s seat.
The second notice also acknowledged Chatta and Khan’s 10-year sentences on July 22, but in the case ‘The State vs Zafarullah Khan and others’.
“As a consequence, Mohammad Ahmed Chattha, MNA from NA-66 Wazirabad and Ahmad Khan, MPA, Provincial Assembly Punjab from PP-87 Mianwali-Ill have become disqualified under Article 63(1)(h) of the Constitution … for being members of National Assembly and Provincial Assembly of Punjab respectively,” the ECP notification read.
“Resultantly, notification No.F.2(5)/2024-Cord(1) dated 16th February 2024 to the extent of Mohammad Ahmed Chattha and notification No. F.2(6)/2024-Cord dated 17th February, 2024 to the extent of Ahmad Khan as returned candidates, are hereby recalled with immediate effect.”
Earlier this month, Punjab Assembly Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmed Khan filed a reference with the ECP against 26 PTI legislators over ‘unparliamentary conduct’ during the assembly’s session on June 27.
The disqualification reference was moved against the same lawmakers who were suspended for disrupting Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz’s speech and causing chaos in the house.
However, the speaker formally rejected the petitions following successful negotiations between the government and the opposition.
In 2023, PTI founder and former prime minister Imran Khan was disqualified for five years following his conviction in the Toshakhana case.
In a notification, the ECP cited a court order and declared Imran disqualified under Article 63(1)(h) of the Constitution read with Section 232 of the Elections Act, 2017.