ISLAMABAD: In a bid to shatter the dreams of dissident Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Members National Assembly for their alleged involvement to side with the opposition by taking ‘bribes’ ahead of the no-confidence motion, Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday issued directives to file a reference to Speaker National Assembly Asad Qaiser for their disqualification.

A statement issued by central secretariat of the PTI after a meeting between the adviser to the prime minister on parliamentary affairs Babar Awan and PTI additional secretary-general Amir Kayani, said that the law will spring into action against the dissidents.

“On the directives of Prime Minister Imran Khan who is also the chairman PTI, references have been finalised against the dissident MNAs of the party,” said the statement.

It said that the reference will also contain documentary evidence against the PTI’s dissidents and that PM Khan has rejected the dissident MNA’s response to the show-cause notice, terming them unsatisfactory.

Babar Awan said that PM Khan has ordered strict legal action against the unconscionable MNAs, adding the Constitution imposes a basic condition of honesty and trust on the members of the parliament.

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“The MNAs involved in horse trading openly deviated from party chief’s instructions,” he said, adding the references will be sent to the NA speaker soon for legal action against the disgruntled PTI MNAs.

On March 19, the ruling PTI had issued show-cause notices to the 14 dissident lawmakers of the party for allegedly siding with the opposition in the no-trust motion against the prime minister.

The notices were served following the dissident MNAs’ decision to “seek refuge” at the Sindh House.

The dissident lawmakers were given seven days to present themselves before the party chairman, but they did not appear before the party chairman within seven days.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022