Islamabad, April 11: The references filed by the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) against 20 dissident members to former National Assembly speaker Asad Qaiser seeking their de-seating under Article 63-A after they had decided to support the no-trust motion against Imran Khan are likely to be rendered “ineffective” after the resolution succeeded without their support, Express Tribune reported on Monday.
The united opposition managed to garner the support of 174 MPAs which was enough to remove the prime minister and it was decided to keep the dissident PTI lawmakers away from the voting to prevent their own party from taking any adverse action against them. Article 63-A of the Constitution suggests disqualification of an MNA on grounds of defection for not obeying the parliamentary party’s directions in the election of the prime minister, chief minister or vote of confidence or no confidence against them.
Former deputy attorney general Raja Khalid Mehmood, who resigned in the wake of NA deputy speaker dismissing the opposition’s no-confidence motion on April 3, said Article 63-A did not apply to the dissident members of the party. The references read that the dissidents left the PTI and joined the opposition for the no-trust motion against the premier and no denials or rebuttals were issued to the acts of defection, adding that show-cause notices were sent to them to clarify why declarations to de-seat them from the NA should not be issued against them but they had failed to respond to them or clarify their position.
They further stated that the PTI dissidents had failed to adhere to their “sacred duty” and had deceived the confidence of the PTI, the voters and the public by changing their loyalties. The former speaker was requested to initiate proceedings to de-seat the members under Article 63-A as they had defected from the PTI, but that now stands nullified after the ouster of Imran Khan without their support of the no-confidence motion. UNI
