ISLAMABAD: The electoral body has disqualified another Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader, the fourth one in two days and fifth in less than two weeks, this time Member National Assembly (MNA) Abdul Latif, over alleged involvement in 9 May riots.
A five-member full bench of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) headed by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja, heard different cases seeking Abdul Latif’s disqualification before deciding against him on Tuesday under Article 63(1)(h) of the Constitution of Pakistan.
This Article states that a person shall be disqualified from being elected or chosen as, and from being, a member of the Parliament, if they are, on conviction for any offence involving moral turpitude, sentenced to imprisonment for a term of not less than two years, unless a period of five years has elapsed since their release.
This 30 May, an Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Islamabad sentenced PTI members, including MNA Latif, to 27-year imprisonment over “attacking a police station on 9 May 2023.”
Earlier on Monday, the ECP issued disqualification notifications of three PTI leaders; Senator Ejaz Chaudhary, MNA Ahmad Chattha, and Punjab Assembly Opposition Leader Ahmad Khan Bhachar, following their convictions by an ATC in connection with 9 May riots.
All three were handed 10-year prison sentences under anti-terrorism charges, and disqualified by the electoral body under Article 63(1)(h).
On 16 July, the ECP notified the disqualification of Jamshaid Dasti from his NA seat over “false statements and incorrect declaration,” and directed the officials concerned to initiate legal proceedings against him.
He was disqualified under Article 62 (1)(d)(f) which reads that a person shall not be qualified to be elected or chosen as a member of Parliament unless – they are of good character and “not commonly known as one who violates Islamic injunctions” — and they are “sagacious, righteous, non-profligate, honest and ameen, there being no declaration to the contrary by a court of law.”
The PTI alleges that its leaders are victimised for supporting the incarcerated ex-Prime Minister Imran Khan.
Apart from Dasti, cases against other PTI leaders including Leader of the Opposition in the NA Omar Ayub Khan, his two cousins — Akbar Ayub Khan and Arshad Ayub Khan — both of whom are members of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly — Malik Adeel Iqbal, another Member Provincial Assembly (MPA) in KP legislature, and PTI Lahore chapter President Sheikh Imtiaz Mehmood, who is an MPA in Punjab Assembly, are pending in the ECP out of allegedly politically motivated reasons.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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