Two lawmakers face disqualification

The PML-N and PML-Q have filed references with the National Assembly speaker against their lawmakers, Adil Khan Bazai and Muhammad Illyas Chaudhry, respectively, under Article 63-A of the Constitution for "violating party policy", seeking termination of their party membership.

The two parliamentarians, along with a third, PML-N's Muhammad Alam Daad, did not attend the final three days of the lower house session when the government planned to pass the 26th Constitutional Amendment. They were also absent during the budget 2024-25 approval.

The government recently made an abortive attempt to pass the draft for the controversial legislation as it lacked the required two-thirds majority in the National Assembly. The constitutional package contained a proposed amendment to fix the Chief Justice of Pakistan's tenure at three years and establishment of the constitutional court.

However, the package could not be tabled in parliament as the government could not convince JUI-F chief Maulana Fazl to vote for the bill.

The PML-N and PML-Q have now filed references with the lower house speaker against Bazai and Chaudhry for violating party policy, seeking the termination of their membership.

Sources stated that the references against Bazai and Chaudhry were sent by the presidents of PML-N and PML-Q, Nawaz Sharif and Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, respectively.

The references noted that under the existing rules all members are required to follow party guidelines. However, the three members violated party directives during the budget approval.

The references called for "immediate action" against the two MPs.

The National Assembly Speaker's office stated that action had been initiated against Bazai and Chaudhry under Article 63-A for violating party policy. It further noted that the references had been sent to the ECP to de-seat both lawmakers