logo
Total number reaches 14: More PTI lawmakers disqualified

Total number reaches 14: More PTI lawmakers disqualified

ISLAMABAD: The electoral body has disqualified nine more Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmakers from their legislative memberships - five members of National Assembly, three of Punjab Assembly, and a senator - in connection with their convictions by an anti-terrorism court related to 9 May riots - as the total number of PTI legislators who have been disqualified in the last three weeks in consequence of court verdicts now reaches 14.
Leader of the Opposition in NA Omar Ayub Khan and Leader of the Opposition in Senate Shibli Faraz are among the nine PTI lawmakers disqualified by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) under Article 63(1)(h) of the Constitution on Tuesday.
The other lawmakers are Member National Assembly Rai Haider Ali (NA-96 Faisalabad), MNA Sahibzada Hamid Raza NA-104 Faisalabad, MNA Rai Hassan Nawaz NA-143 Sahiwal, MNA Zartaj Gul (NA-185 Dera Ghazi Khan), Member Provincial Assembly (PP-73 Sargodha), MPA Junaid Afzal Sahi (PP-98 Faisalabad) and MPA Rai Murtaza Iqbal (PP-203 Sahiwal).
ECP disqualifies several PTI lawmakers including Shibli Faraz, Omar Ayub, Zartaj Gul
Despite that the nine disqualified legislators belong to PTI, six of them had to contest the last year's general elections on Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) tickets against the backdrop of PTI electoral symbol controversy.
The NA opposition leader was elected to NA as an independent candidate whereas the remaining four MNAs, and two of the three MPAs were elected on SIC tickets in the last year general elections.
Only one MPA Murtaza Iqbal, as well as the Senate opposition leader, were elected to the respective legislatures on the PTI tickets.
On 31 July, an ATC in Faisalabad sentenced PTI lawmakers to 10-year imprisonment over their alleged involvement in 9 May 2023 riots.
On 29 July, the ECP disqualified PTI MNA Abdul Latif under Article 63(1)(h) over his alleged involvement in 9 May riots.
A five-member ECP full bench heard different cases seeking Latif's disqualification before deciding against him under Article 63(1)(h).
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Kashmir, Khan and echoes of betrayed promises
Kashmir, Khan and echoes of betrayed promises

Express Tribune

time5 minutes ago

  • Express Tribune

Kashmir, Khan and echoes of betrayed promises

The writer is a public policy analyst based in Lahore. She can be reached at durdananajam1@ Listen to article August 5 has come to symbolise two distinct narratives in Pakistan. For supporters of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) — which now represents an overwhelming majority of the population, thanks to the establishment's relentless and illogical rivalry with Imran Khan — it marks the second anniversary of their leader's incarceration. At the official level, however, the day is commemorated in solidarity with the people of Indian-occupied Kashmir, whose semi-autonomous status and special rights were stripped following the abrogation of Articles 370 and 35-A of the Indian constitution. Yet, one suspects that most Pakistanis are aware of the constitutional intricacies affecting Kashmiris. Given the mass exodus from Pakistan and the alarming rise in poverty, it's understandable why many would hesitate to wish the same fate upon Kashmiris — being absorbed into a nation deliberately kept broken and dysfunctional by its ruling elite. The condition of those living in Pakistan-administered Azad Kashmir is, perhaps, evidence enough of this grim reality. In 2018, PTI emerged as one of Pakistan's most popular political parties. By 2025, it has reclaimed that status. In the intervening years, PTI governed for three years before being pushed to the political margins through a familiar tactic: the formation of a united opposition. In Pakistan, political unity is rare and usually reserved for two occasions — when legislation serves personal or business interests; and when the ruling party must be ousted under the guise of national interest. Many analysts and PTI loyalists argue that Imran Khan should have declined the premiership in 2018. They believe that leveraging his popularity from the opposition benches could have secured him a sweeping mandate in subsequent elections — free from establishment strings. With legislative strength, he could have pursued bold reforms with full institutional backing. Instead, Khan opted for hybrid governance, believing he would be treated differently than his predecessors. Like most Pakistanis, he assumed that his unwavering loyalty to Pakistan would earn him institutional support. After all, no previous leader had prioritised national interest over personal gain. From 2014 to 2018, Khan relentlessly branded the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) as "thieves", embedding this narrative deep into public consciousness. Despite reservations about his alliance with the establishment, many hoped Khan's government would be allowed to function independently, free from judicial interference. Over time, he cultivated an aura of indispensability. His trust in the establishment led him — and the public - to believe that the very "thieves" he helped remove would never return to power until held accountable. But like all constructs built on fragile assumptions, this belief crumbled under the weight of reality. By April 9, 2021, Khan's popularity had waned, largely due to the inevitable governance challenges arising from a hybrid and compromised system. Yet, overnight, he surged back to prominence when PTI was ousted and replaced by the very political actors the establishment had long vilified. The irony was not lost on the public. The next day, Pakistanis across the country — and in diaspora communities in the US and the UK — took to the streets. Their protest wasn't just about PTI's removal; it was a collective mourning of the collapse of trust in the establishment and the erosion of democratic values. When Shahbaz Sharif was appointed Prime Minister, he was facing indictment in a multi-million-dollar financial fraud case. Instead of facing justice, he was greeted with rose petals - a stark reminder of the selective accountability that plagues Pakistan's political system. By April 10, 2021, Imran Khan stood alone as the only credible figure in Pakistan's political landscape — for an vast majority of the population. As predicted, Khan remained the most popular leader in 2024 and won the elections with a resounding mandate. Had he trusted the democratic process instead of relying on power brokers, the trajectory might have been different. His two-year resistance to unconstitutional interventions and the public's shattered trust in the military have plunged the country into a state of collective frustration. The illegitimacy of the PDM 2.0 government is evident to all — except those who engineered it. The people stand with Khan because they see in him a reflection of their own victimhood at the hands of a power structure that, though designed to serve the nation, has become its greatest adversary. Today, the pressing question is: Can Imran Khan survive the ruthless persecution of his party and the inhumane conditions of his imprisonment? History offers a sobering pattern. Pakistan's most popular leaders — those who believed in the power of the people — Liaquat Ali Khan, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Benazir Bhutto — all met unnatural ends. Khan's defiance of absolute power and his rivals' surrender to it have set the tone for Pakistan's future. The king stands naked. No matter how desperately he tries to cloak himself, the people see through the hypocrisy, illegitimacy and usurpation of power. August 5 stands as a testament to the resilience of people who refuse to be silenced. In commemorating this day, Pakistanis are not just mourning losses — they are reclaiming their right to choose, to question, and to hope.

12 PTI workers arrested for rioting granted bail by Karachi court
12 PTI workers arrested for rioting granted bail by Karachi court

Express Tribune

time2 hours ago

  • Express Tribune

12 PTI workers arrested for rioting granted bail by Karachi court

A Karachi court on Tuesday granted bail to 12 workers of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) who were detained on charges of rioting, stone-pelting, and attacking police during a protest rally in the metropolis on August 5. The judicial magistrate for District East approved the bail pleas filed by defence lawyers and ordered the release of the accused against surety bonds of Rs5,000 each. Earlier, police had produced the accused before the court and sought their physical remand for further interrogation. According to the investigation officer (IO), the PTI workers had blocked the road during a rally led by senior party leaders, including Firdous Shamim Naqvi, Awab Alvi, and Raja Azhar, at Hassan Square. The IO claimed the protest turned violent when the accused pelted stones at law enforcers and attacked them with sticks, injuring a police officer identified as Aijaz. The IO requested physical custody of the accused for criminal record office verification, adding that several other suspects were still at large. Also Read: Karachi police lodge FIR against 550 PTI workers However, the court turned down police's request and granted bail to all 12 accused, who were identified as Nadir, Abdul Rafi, Sarfraz Jameel, Fida Rehman, Nabi Ahmad, Abdul Rashid, Muhammad Ibrahim, Younus Khan, Zar Wali, Muhammad Hanif, Sohail Ahmad Memon, and Adnan. Later, PTI Sindh President Haleem Adil Sheikh visited the city court to meet the released workers. Speaking to media persons on the occasion, he said that the bail order was a victory for truth and justice. The protest at Hassan Square was peaceful, and that the FIR registered against party workers was fabricated, he claimed. "Police used baton charge and fired shells on peaceful demonstrators," he alleged, adding that his name was not included in the FIR but was later inserted in the remand papers. He reiterated the party's resolve to continue the protest movement until PTI founder Imran Khan is released from jail. "The frustration among the youth is growing with each passing day. Continued incarceration of Imran Khan is not in the country's interest," he added.

Shibli Faraz, Zartaj Gul get interim relief from PHC
Shibli Faraz, Zartaj Gul get interim relief from PHC

Express Tribune

time6 hours ago

  • Express Tribune

Shibli Faraz, Zartaj Gul get interim relief from PHC

Listen to article The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Wednesday granted protective bail to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders Shibli Faraz and Zartaj Gul, who were recently sentenced to 10 years imprisonment in connection with the May 9 riots, Express News reported. The bench, after announcing the reserved verdict on their petition, allowed both leaders bail until August 11 and directed them to approach the relevant high court to file their appeals within this period. The court also ordered that the two not be arrested during this time. Also Read: Four martyred as militants attack FC vehicle in K-P The decision follows last week's ruling by a special anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Faisalabad, which sentenced over 100 PTI leaders for their alleged involvement in the May 9 unrest. Among those convicted were Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Omar Ayub, Senate Opposition Leader Shibli Faraz, Zartaj Gul, MNA Sahibzada Hamid Raza, and former MNA Sheikh Rashid Shafiq. The ATC acquitted 77 out of the 185 individuals implicated in the cases. Subsequently, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Tuesday disqualified nine PTI-affiliated lawmakers, including Ayub and Faraz. A notification issued by the commission declared one Senate and five National Assembly seats vacant, along with three Punjab Assembly seats. Others disqualified include Zartaj Gul, Sahibzada Hamid Raza, Junaid Afzal Sahi, Rai Hassan Nawaz, Rai Murtaza Iqbal, Rai Haider Ali, and Ansar Iqbal. Read More: Karachi police lodge FIR against 550 PTI workers It is pertinent to mention that last month, a Lahore ATC had sentenced ten PTI leaders, including Dr Yasmin Rashid, to up to 10 years in prison, while an ATC in Sargodha handed a similar sentence to PTI Punjab Assembly Opposition Leader Malik Ahmed Khan Bhachar and other party workers. May 9 Riots The May 9 riots erupted nationwide following the arrest of former prime minister Imran Khan, after which PTI leaders and workers staged protests targeting both civil and military installations, including Jinnah House and the General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi. The military condemned the events as a "Black Day" and decided to try the protesters under the Army Act. As a result of the unrest, many PTI members were arrested and tried in military courts. In December, a military court convicted 25 individuals, including Imran Khan's nephew, Hassan Khan Niazi, and later sentenced 60 more. Also Read: Hub dam project to be inaugurated by Aug 13 In January, 19 convicts had their sentences pardoned following successful mercy appeals, although PTI expressed dissatisfaction over the limited number of pardons. The military trials had initially been halted following a Supreme Court ruling but were resumed following the court's instructions to finalise pending cases and announce judgments for those involved in the violent incidents.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store