‘Govt decides to file reference in Supreme Court for interpretation of Article 63 (A)’

After several lawmakers from Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan’s ruling party withdrew their support for him ahead of a no-confidence vote, the government on Friday announced to file a reference in the Supreme Court, asking it to interpret Article 63 (A) of the Constitution.

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In a series of tweets, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry said the PTI government would also request the top court conduct daily hearings on the reference to be filed under Article 186 of the Constitution.

کیا ایسے ممبران جو اپنی وفاداریاں معاشی مفادات کے بوجوہ تبدیل کریں ان کی نااہلیت زندگی بھر ہو گی یا انھیں دوبارہ انتخاب لڑنے کی اجازت ہو گی؟ سپریم کورٹ سے درخواست کی جائیگی کے اس ریفرینس کو روزانہ کی بنیاد پر سن کر فیصلہ سنایا جائے۔

— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) March 18, 2022

“The Supreme Court will be asked about the legal status of the vote of party members when they are clearly involved in horse-trading and changing their loyalties in exchange for money,” the minister said.

Chaudhry said the Supreme Court would also be asked for advice on whether those members who change their party loyalties for financial reasons would be disqualified for life or allowed to contest elections again?

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Several MPs defected from PTI ahead of the opposition’s no-confidence vote against the premier, stoking more uncertainty over whether the former cricketer could hang on to power.