War of petitions: Not to be outdone, PTI fires own response

Qureshi says plea to be filed with NA speaker for PM’s disqualification

ISLAMABAD: In an effort to stonewall itself against any possible PML-N act of chicanery, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf is planning to file its own reference with the National Assembly speaker for disqualification of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif as a member of the assembly.

The move came just a week after the government had filed a reference — also with the NA speaker — against PTI chief Imran Khan, accusing him of concealing assets, evading tax and being involved in money laundering.

“We have decided to file a reference with the speaker under articles 62 and 63 of the Constitution on August 15 (Monday),” PTI Vice-Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi said after attending a meeting of senior party leaders at Bani Gala on Saturday.

According to Qureshi, the party’s legal team comprising Hamid Khan and Naeem Bokhari has been working on the reference, which is in the final stage now. At the same time, the party said it would pursue the identical reference filed with the ECP on August 17.

The meeting discussed the party’s future strategy with regards to the anti-corruption movement and the legal battle against the PM in the wake of the Panama leaks.

Referring to the joint opposition’s move to introduce a bill in parliament based on the terms of reference formulated by the opposition, Qureshi said the party has endorsed the decision.

Since the opposition enjoys a numerical strength in the Senate, he said, the bill should be moved there. Once the upper house adopts the bill, the opposition will try to persuade the government to support the legislation in the NA, he said. Qureshi believes it is a waste of time to hold more meetings with the government over the ToRs because PML-N’s delaying tactics.

He announced that there was no change in the plan for the upcoming rally that would start from Liaquat Bagh in Rawalpindi and end in Islamabad. He, however, complained that the administration had started creating hurdles.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 13^th, 2016.