ISLAMABAD: The ruling PTI Saturday issued show-cause notices to the 14 dissident lawmakers for allegedly allying with the Opposition a day after the party decided to move against the members ahead of the no-trust motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan.
According to details, the dissident lawmakers have been given seven days to present themselves before PM Imran Khan.
The notices have been issued to the following MNAs:
Noor Alam Khan (NA-27 Peshawar-I)
Dr. Muhammad Afzal Khan Dhandla (NA-98 Bhakkar-II)
Nawab Sher (NA-102 Faisalabad-II)
Raja Riaz Ahmed (NA-110 Faisalabad-X)
Ahmed Hussain Deharr (NA-154 Multan-I)
Rana Muhammad Qasim Noon (NA-159 Multan-VI)
Muhammad Abdul Ghafar Wattoo (NA-166 Bahawalnagar-I)
Makhdoom Zada Syed Basit Ahmed Sultan (NA-185 Muzaffargarh-V)
The notice mentions that the interviews given to the media outlets by these members show that they have left PTI and therefore they are directed to present themselves before the party chairman.
“It is learnt via large scale broadcast videos circulated on different forums of media that you have left the Parliamentary Party of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and joined the Opposition parties, who have brought a motion of vote of no-confidence against the honourable Prime Minister of Pakistan, dated March 08, 2022,” the notice issued to Afzal Khan Dhandla read.
It further noted that the dissident lawmaker has neither denied the content of his interview nor has he issued any rebuttal to this “act of defection” and “your interviews contain a clear intent of leaving the membership of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf.”
“Now, therefore, you are served with this show-cause notice in term of Article 63-A Sub Article 1(b) proviso which read as under
“Provided that before making such declaration, the party head shall provide such member with an opportunity to show cause as to why such declaration may not be made against him.”
“You are allowed to have an opportunity of hearing before the Head of the Parliamentary Party of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf in the National Assembly and explain as to why a declaration may not be issued against you, for getting you de-seated from membership of the National Assembly of Pakistan, in compliance of the constitutional provisions,” the notice read.
It further mentioned that the lawmaker may give a reply to this show cause notice and have a personal hearing before Imran Khan on or before 2pm on March 26, 2022 (Saturday).
‘Doors to repentance are open’
Meanwhile, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry said that we still request people to return as “doors to repentance are open.”
“Imran Khan will not be blackmailed in this situation,” he said, adding those lawmakers who do not want to give a vote in favour of Prime Minister Imran Khan can resign from their seats.
To guarantee fertiliser price stability, a cabinet committee meeting was presided over by Senator Muhammad Ishaq Dar, the deputy prime minister.
Senior government officials, including Industries Minister Rana Tanveer Hussain, attended the meeting.
The attendees received an update on the government’s, gas suppliers’, and fertiliser industry’s conversations. Additionally, the gas supply for the fertiliser sector was evaluated and determined to be adequate.
Throughout the Rabi cropping season, the Deputy Prime Minister ordered the fertiliser industry to maintain a continuous gas supply in order to guarantee steady production and stock levels.
Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has praised the State Bank of Pakistan’s decision to lower its policy rate by an additional 2 percent, stating that the bank’s current 13 percent rate is encouraging for the nation’s economy.
He expressed optimism in a statement that the policy rate cut would encourage investment and further boost investor confidence in the country’s economy.
The prime minister said that decreasing the inflation rate also lowered the policy rate and that future inflation rate reductions will be even more pronounced.
Additionally, he expressed gratitude to the Federal Finance Minister and other officials for their work in this area.
25 defendants, including PTI officials, have non-bailable arrest warrants issued by the Anti Terrorism Court of Rawalpindi for their failure to show up for court proceedings related to the GHQ attack case.
Judge Amjad Ali Shah added nine more suspects to the GHQ attack indictment list during today’s ATC Court sessions, bringing the total to 98.
Among the 61 defendants who appeared in court were Shah Mehmud Qureshi and the founder of the PTI.
Among those charged are Khadim Hussain Khokhar, Mehr Mohammad Javed, Chaudhary Asif, Zakir Ullah, Azeem Ullah, Shireen Mazatri, Major Retired Tahir Sadiq, and former MPA Rashid Hafeez.
A plea to cancel the bail of 23 suspects, including Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, has also been filed by the prosecution side.
In the GHQ attack, there were 119 accused in total.