ISLAMABAD   -   Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has demanded of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to de-seat its 25 Punjab lawmakers over defection under article 63A of the constitution.

While presenting his argument before a three-member bench headed by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja, PTI lawyer Ali Zafar demanded of the ECP not to disqualify the Punjab PTI members but de-seat them.

During the hearing, the ECP directed the PTI to submit a signed reply and also an affidavit of chairman party Imran Khan in case of dissident members.

Dissident members’ lawyer raised an objection before the Commission over alleged fabricated and forged documents attached with the PTI counter-answer, and demanded that they had provide the party genuine documents related to the case.

Ali Zafar said that the dissident lawmakers in Punjab admitted that they cast their vote in the election of Punjab Chief Minister to violate the party rules.

The PTI lawyer said that if a member goes against the party direction it is a violation under Article 63 A of the constitution which has serious consequences.

“Article 63A is meant to stop floor crossing, which is a cancer in the Parliamentary system,” said Ali Zafar. However, he said that defection is also prohibited in the Quran and Sunnah.

He argued that the ECP should not look into the reason for voting in the declaration but has to see whether the party members have deviated from the instructions or not and as well as look into whether the declaration was correct or not.

He said that the ECP should de-seat Punjab assembly members of PTI because they went against the party direction and voted Hamza Shehbaz instead of Perviaz Elahi.

The PTI lawyer said that the dissident members’ case in Punjab is very clear.

Ali Zafar said that the party direction was to vote in the favour of Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi in the election of Punjab chief ministership.

All members were aware of the party’s direction to vote in the favour of Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi but even then they violated the party rules, said Ali Zafar before the ECP.

He said that there is no moral or factual reason that the declaration should not be confirmed.

Lawyer Faisal Chaudhry argued that no MPA had refused from casting a vote but they also admitted the voting in the election of CM.

He said before the bench that show cause notices have been sent to dissident lawmakers on their official address.

Faisal Chaudhry argued that if the dissident members rejected his arguments, then he would present evidence before the ECP.

Later, the ECP adjourned the case for further hearing till Monday.