Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain on Wednesday initiated disciplinary action against seven defecting party MNAs by serving them show-cause notices, asking them to explain why they had violated the party’s discipline during the recent election of Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf.
All seven lawmakers in question had abstained from voting held on June 22 for election of Ashraf as PM in violation of the party’s decision to vote for the PPP’s nominee.
None of them voted even for the opposition’s nominee, Mehtab Khan Abbasi, who had bagged 89 votes.
A source in the PML-Q informed Pakistan Today that the notices had been prepared and served through SM Zafar, veteran lawyer and senior party stalwart.
“Chaudhry Pervez Elahi has prevailed and the process of sending references against the party’s defectors has been initiated. Under phase one, show-cause notices have been issued to at least seven party MNAs, five members of the likeminded group – Arbab Zakaullah, Humayon Saifullah Khan, Ghulam Hyder Samejo, Kashmala Tariq and Kishan Chand Perwani,” the source said.
The source added that two more defectors who had left the party and joined Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) – Amir Muqam and Sardar Awais Khan Leghari, had also been served notices.
Shujaat has yet not sent a show-cause notice to Sumaira Malik, who also did not vote for Ashraf and has unofficially joined the PML-N.
The source said all party legislators issued show-cause notices had been given time until August 8 to explain their positions, failing which a reference would be sent by the party chief to the chief election commissioner (CEC), Justice (r) Fakharuddin G Ebrahim.
“The notices have worried the lawmakers in question and they are involved in negotiations to deal with the situation. They can’t blame the government for bias as the new CEC enjoys absolute respect among all circles for his principles and integrity. This might also be the first test case for the CEC who was nominated by PML-N itself, while the likeminded group has already announced seat-adjustment with the PML-N,” a source in the likeminded group said.
“Likeminded people are thinking to contest the matter in the court and get stay orders against the move while Amir Muqam and Awais Leghari are mulling to resign quietly.”
When contacted, PML likeminded Chairman Salim Saifullah Khan confirmed that show-cause notices had been received by at least two of his party’s MNAs, Kashmala Tariq and Kishan Chand Perwani, while the rest had not received any notice.
Asked how they would react to the notices, Saifullah said they had already challenged the election of Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain in Lahore High Court (LHC) for the past two years and since the matter was sub judice, such action could not be initiated against his party colleagues.
“Since the election of Shujaat is under question, he could not exercise any powers as party president. Hence his show cause notice is meaningless,” said Saifullah.
He said his group would request the LHC to take up the matter and issue judgment to resolve the matter.
Amir Muqam told Pakistan Today that he had submitted his resignation with the National Assembly speaker and no question of show-cause arose.
“Has anyone seen me recently at the National Assembly? No, I have resigned from my NA seat since long and the show-cause notice holds no ground,” he added.
He also showered praises for Shujaat and said he had served under Shujaat and he had no grudge against his former party chief.
