The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Tuesday dismissed a disqualification reference filed against disgruntled Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) member and MNA Ayesha Gulalai. The ECP had reserved its judgment in the case on October 17 and announced it through a short order. "Arguments on either side completed," the short order says, "For detailed reasons recorded separately and by a majority of three to two, the reference is hereby answered in the negative."
Two of the members of the commission, former justice Altaf Ibrahim Qureshi and former justice Shakeel Ahmed Baloch, dissented from the majority decision. After the verdict, Gulalai will remain a member of the National Assembly on the PTI's reserved seat for women. Speaking to media persons, she said she would not have threatened the Election Commission even if the decision was against her.
Gulalai also criticized PTI chairman Imran Khan for verbally attacking state institutions and vowed to protect the institutions in case of any threat from the PTI. "If Niazi Sb brings people out on the streets then I will come out on Parade Ground too to protect those state institutions," she said.
She also accused Khan of having links with Taliban, saying that rallies of all other political parties are attacked by the Taliban but not Imran's where music is played. PTI chairman Imran Khan had filed the reference against Gulalai under Article 63 of the constitution for violating the party policy in election of prime minister wherein the PTI was supporting Shaikh Rashid as a candidate for the slot.
On August 28, Imran Khan sent a notice to Gulalai stating that she has defected from the party in terms of Article 63 A (1) of the Constitution. The notice says that Gulalai on August 1 publicly resigned from the party and failed to vote for the party's designated candidate in the prime minister's elections. Gulalai announced to quit the party in early August after levelling allegations of harassment and corruption against the party chairman.
Meanwhile, the PTI has announced to challenge the election commission's decision in the High Court as the party was not satisfied with the judgment. Speaking to media persons, PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry said his party would take the issue to its logical end as Gulalai publicly announced to quit the party. "We will not let Ayesha Gulalai sit in the assembly," he said, "we will follow the matter to the end, her actions damage the struggle of other women."