ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has decided to file a reference against four Members of the National Assembly (MNAs) who have defected to the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) after originally winning their seats with PTI’s backing.
According to PTI leader Asad Qaiser, the party has finalized plans to take action against these members for their defection during the vote on the 26th Constitutional Amendment. The reference will be sent to both the Speaker of the National Assembly and the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).
The four MNAs in question—Chaudhry Usman Ali, Mubarak Zeb, Aurangzeb Khichi, and Zahoor Qureshi—are accused by PTI of violating the party line during the crucial vote and later aligning with the opposition PML-N.
“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,” said Qaiser. He added, “Let’s see what action they take.”
The move comes after these members supported the 26th Constitutional Amendment, which passed in the National Assembly last year with 225 votes. The vote saw support from some independent MNAs, including those previously aligned with PTI. PTI had accused those members of betraying the party and its founder, Imran Khan.
“The betrayal of the party and its founder, Imran Khan, is evident in those who voted in favor of the bill,” Qaiser had remarked at the time, citing the betrayal of PTI-backed independent candidates who supported the amendment.
The PTI leadership now aims to hold these defectors accountable and seeks their disqualification from the National Assembly. The move adds to the growing political tensions within Pakistan’s political landscape, where shifting allegiances and defections are becoming increasingly common.
