PM mulls course of action against dissident party members

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday held a special meeting with Additional PTI General Secretary Amir Mahmood Kayani and Adviser on Parliamentary Affairs Dr Babar Awan to discuss the course of action against the dissenting party members.

The premier – ahead of the no-confidence vote – has ordered a strategy to be formulated for issuing show-cause notices to those PTI members who have refused to follow the party line.

According to sources, the draft for the show-cause notices has been finalised and the notices will be issued to the concerned MNAs under Article 63-A of the Constitution.

Article 63-A of the Constitution strictly prohibits members of the assembly from crossing the floor; a member of the National Assembly who deviates from the party policy issued by the head of the parliamentary party must forego their seat.

The premier has given dissident members the opportunity to clarify their position by April 1. If they do so, they would be pardoned.

“Strict action will be taken against members who did not satisfy the party by the stipulated deadline," the PTI stated.

Read: PTI dissidents issued show-cause notices

Official references against MNAs who have openly deviated from party policy are to be sent to the National Assembly speaker during the meeting.

The PTI will move to declare the seats of dissident members vacant under Article 63-A of the Constitution.

Days after the PTI issued show-cause notices to 13 of its lawmakers on grounds of alleged defection, the disgruntled lawmakers responded on March 26 by vehemently denying the allegations as “baseless and untrue”.

The strongly worded response came after the ruling party issued the notices when the dissenting PTI lawmakers were found staying at the Sindh House and openly expressed a lack of confidence in the prime minister.

The PTI had asked the lawmakers to explain within seven days about giving the impression that they were about to leave the party.