PTI plans legal action against four lawmakers who joined PML-N

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has decided to file a reference against four Members of the National Assembly (MNAs) who were elected with its backing as independent candidates but later joined the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).

PTI senior leader Asad Qaiser said that Zahoor Qureshi, Aurangzeb Khichi, Usman Ali, and Mubarak Zeb were the PTI-backed independent MNAs who had voted in favour of the 26th Constitutional Amendment and joined ruling party.

“These members won their seats on PTI tickets and have now joined the PML-N. We have asked the party to send a disqualification reference to the Speaker and the ECP. Let’s see what action they take,” said Qaiser.

The reference will be sent to the Speaker of the National Assembly and the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), he said.

In October last year, the government clinched 225 votes, surpassing the required 224, with support from a handful of independent MNAs, including members of the PTI, in the historic midnight passage of the 26th Constitutional Amendment in the National Assembly.

Back then, Qaiser had said that the PTI-backed independent candidates, who supported the contentious constitutional amendment, betrayed the party and its founder, Imran Khan.

“Those who voted [in favour of the bill] have committed treachery against the party and its founder,” Qaiser had said.