The Election Commission Pakistan (ECP) on Friday declared 25 dissident members of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) de-seated while announcing its verdict in a case pertaining to the dissident members of the Punjab Assembly (MPAs).
In a unanimous verdict, ECP announced that the MPAs will be defected from the party by voting in favour of Hamza Shehbaz, which means that the election that got Hamza Shehbaz the CM seat might not be valid. The reference against PTI dissidents who voted for Hamza Shehbaz in the election of Punjab chief minister was sent by Punjab Assembly Speaker Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi.
Former Planning Minister and senior Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Asad Umar on Friday called out the de-seated members of the party and said that ‘lotay washroom kay elawa kisi kaam kay nahi rahay’. [Lotay are now only good for use in the washroom].
Speaking to journalists outside ECP Umar congratulated the nation saying “another chapter of heinous politics has closed today”. “Some of the political parties have used politics for businesses as they are involved in horse-trading,” Umar said, adding that these people [the current leadership] come into power by investing money and earn more by misusing their power.
In the election for the chief minister’s slot on April 16, 2022, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Hamza Shehbaz got 197 votes as opposed to the required number of 186 in the House of 371, meaning the support of PTI dissidents was key to his victory.
Journalist Majid Nizami in his report said, “As per the rules of the Punjab Assembly (PA), the chief minister is elected with a simple majority, therefore 186 votes out of the 371-seat assembly. But if no candidate secures the votes of a majority of the total membership for the assembly in the first round then the second round of voting is held. In this round, the member who secures the most votes, from amongst the members present that day, will win.”
PML-N leader Maryam Nawaz reacting to the news said, “No matter what PTI does, the dream of snatching Punjab from the tiger will be shattered.”
