ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Friday adjourned the hearing against dissident lawmakers of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in the National Assembly for Tuesday (May 10) on the request of the PTI’s counsel.

Dissident members of the PTI submitted a written reply to the ECP regarding the references of their disqualification from the lower house after they denied to follow party directives.

PTI counsel, Faysal Chaudhry, said he could not respond to all written replies and it would be appropriate that counter arguments on them would be given on Tuesday.

PTI lawmakers Noor Alam Khan, Farrukh Altaf, Ramesh Kumar, Asim Nazeer, and others submitted their statements in the case.

PTI lawyer Chaudhry requested time to read the dissident members’ replies and stated that he would begin arguments after reading all of the statements.

Balochistan member of the ECP Shah Muhammad Jatoi said the commission had till May 14 to make a decision on the case.

The Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) further emphasised that in either case, the arguments should be completed by Tuesday, so that there is time for decision making.

Last week, the ECP summoned rebel legislators of the PTI in a reference moved against them under Article 63A (1)(b)(i) of the Constitution.

The decision came during a meeting held under the chairmanship of Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja.

The PTI had sent references against 20 of its dissident members to the electoral watchdog, seeking their disqualification for violating party discipline and defecting.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022