On Friday, the National Assembly (NA) removed three Pakistan Tehreek-E-Insaf (PTI) leaders from central parliamentary positions following the disqualification of several party prey.
Omar Ayub was deprived of the position of opposition leader, while Zartaj Gul lost his role when parliamentary leader and Ahmad Chattha were removed as a deputy parliamentary leader.
A special anti-terrorism Court (ATC) in Faislabad, earlier this month, sentenced the top PTI leaders to up to 10 years in prison in cases relating to May 9 protests.
Ayub, opposition leader in Senate Shibli Faraz, Zartaj Yellow, MNA SaHibzada Hamid Raza and former MNA Sheikh Rashid Shafiq were among the 108 PTI leaders sentenced by the 185 involved in the cases, while 77 others were acquired.
The chamber awarded to the opposition leader was also taken back from the party. The speaker informed the house to the members’ disqualification in accordance with assembly rules. Consultations are underway between the opposition and the speaker for the appointment of a new opposition leader,
PTI-supported independent will be obliged to submit new nominations to positions as parliamentary leader and deputy parliamentary leader.
Ayub was also delisted from the public accounting committee and the Finance Committee.
Read: PTI’s Omar Ayub, Shibli Faraz sentenced to up to 10 years in May 9 SAGER
NA also withdrew membership of 15 standing committees from seven legislators belonging to PTI, removing three senior leaders from key items.
SaHibzada Hamid Raza was deprived of the Presidency of the Standing Committee on Human Rights, while Zartaj Yellow lost his membership in the same committee. Rai Hassan Nawaz was removed as chairman of the standing committee for railways.
The changes follow the disqualification of several PTI members of the Election Commission in Pakistan (ECP).
ATC had previously issued arrest warrants for 50 PTI leaders in several protest-related cases registered at various police stations in Islamabad prior to the party’s planned 5th August Protest. Warrants, issued by Judge Abul Hasnat Zulqarnain, included prominent figures such as former President Arif Alvi, KP chief minister Ali Amin Gandapur, Asad Qaiser, Hammad Azhar, Faisal Javed, Salman Akram Raja, Rauf Hassan, Murad Saeed and Ahmad Niazi.
Warrants for 41 PTI managers were issued after nine others issued earlier in connection with a case registered at Karachi Company Police Station.
