ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has disqualified Abdul Latif Chitrali, a Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-backed member of the National Assembly (NA), following his conviction in connection with the May 9 riots.
The ECP issued an official notification on Tuesday, declaring his seat for NA-1, which includes Upper and Lower Chitral, vacant.
Chitrali’s disqualification follows a decision by the Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Islamabad, which sentenced him to 10 years in prison for his involvement in the violent events of May 9, 2023. The attack on police stations during the riots led to a number of arrests and convictions, with Chitrali being among those held accountable for the violence.
According to the ECP notification, Chitrali’s disqualification was based on his conviction under Article 63(1)(h) of the Constitution of Pakistan. This provision disqualifies a lawmaker from holding office if they are convicted and sentenced to more than two years in prison.
Consequently, Chitrali’s position in the National Assembly has been vacated, and the ECP is expected to announce the schedule for a by-election in the constituency of Chitral.
The PTI-backed MNA was elected in the general elections, securing 61,834 votes. His closest competitor, Muhammad Talha Mehmood of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), received 42,987 votes. However, with the recent court decision and the ECP’s subsequent ruling, Chitrali’s tenure as an MNA has come to an end.
This disqualification of Chitrali follows a similar move by the ECP earlier this week, when the commission disqualified three other PTI lawmakers involved in the May 9 incidents.
The seats of Senator Ejaz Chaudhry, Punjab Assembly Opposition Leader Malik Ahmad Bhachar, and Ahmed Chattha were also declared vacant after their convictions. Chattha and Bhachar were elected from NA-66 Wazirabad and PP-87 Mianwali, respectively, while Chaudhry was elected to the upper house in 2021.
The ECP’s actions demonstrate its commitment to uphold the law in the wake of the May 9 riots and signal the commission’s resolve to take decisive actions against lawmakers convicted for their roles in such incidents. The by-election in NA-1, Chitral, will provide voters with an opportunity to elect a new representative in place of the disqualified Chitrali.
