A disqualified lawmaker shouldn't head a party: Farooq Sattar

MQM-P leader says will take action against party lawmakers if found they didn't support amendment to elections bill

Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) leader Farooq Sattar said on Saturday that a disqualified lawmaker should not head a political party, referring to deposed PM Nawaz Sharif.

"If any of our lawmakers have supported the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) in making this possible, we will take action against them," he told reporters outside an anti-terrorism court in Karachi.

Sattar was referring to the government succeeding on Friday in amending the Political Parties Order and paving a way for former prime minister Nawaz Sharif to once again take the helm of the PML-N.

The MQM-P leader said the Elections Bill 2017, a set of laws to reform the country’s election system passed by the Senate with only minor amendments to the draft passed by the National Assembly earlier, was "illegal".



"The bill should have been passed after making the amendment proposed by [leader of the opposition in Senate and Pakistan People's Party (PPP) leader] Aitzaz Ahsan," he added.

Ahsan had proposed an amendment to clause 203 (1) of the new election laws with a new proviso stating: “provided that the person shall not be appointed or serve as an office-bearer of a political party if he is not qualified to be, or is disqualified from being, elected or chosen as a member of the parliament under any law for the time being in force”.

Law minister Zahid Hamid had opposed the amendment, which led to the chairman calling a vote count. To the opposition’s surprise, Ahsan was outvoted by one vote, with 37 for and 38 against, despite the government’s numerical inferiority.

"Both the MQM-P and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf had supported the PPP's proposed amendment to the clause. If any of our senators have voted in favour of the treasury benches, disciplinary action will be taken against them," Sattar maintained.