PM Imran Orders NA Speaker To Take Action Against Dissident PTI Lawmakers

PM Imran Orders NA Speaker To Take Action Against Dissident PTI Lawmakers
Prime Minister Imran Khan has ordered National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser to convene the sitting of the lower house on March 21 and take action against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) defectors.

The PM reportedly told Qaiser to move the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for legal action and denotification of the dissident MNAs during a meeting at the PM House with Attorney General of Pakistan Khalid Javed Khan and the NA Speaker.

On Thursday, it was revealed that around two dozen PTI MNAs had shifted to Sindh House, citing citing security concerns and threats from the ruling party.

Various leaders from within the government had earlier threatened that party members would face consequences, including disqualification and public shaming, should they align with the opposition's no-confidence motion against the prime minister.

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Shahbaz Gill made a statement on Monday wherein he said that the PTI members who side with the opposition will be publicly shamed and their photos will be hung in cities.

Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid has previously claimed that National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser had the power to disqualify PTI lawmakers who side with the opposition

Similarly, Minister for Information Fawad Chaudhry has echoed that the speaker will not count the votes of MNAs from the PTI who crossed the aisle on the no-confidence motion.

The federal minister cited Article 63A (1)(a) of the constitution, claiming that “the speaker can right away send a reference to the election commission against them. So, the opposition is under a misconception”.