ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Monday issued notices to its two senators for staying away from the Senate proceedings during the voting for Election Bill 2017, which allows any person ineligible to hold office as an MNA to serve as an office-bearer of a political party.
Earlier on Sept 22, the Senate passed the Election Bill 2017 with a majority vote, doing away with a clause which barred a person from serving as an office-bearer of a political party if he is either not qualified to be, or disqualified from being elected as a member of a parliament under Article 63 of the Constitution.
Leader of the Opposition in the Senate Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan had proposed an amendment to the bill, retaining the above-mentioned clause, but it was rejected with a majority vote – 39 against 38.
The opposition parties, whose combined strength is more than that of treasury benches, had failed to preempt the bill without the amendment.
PTI Senators Nauman Wazir and Kenneth Williams have been given seven days to explain why they had stayed away from the voting.
The bill seemed to benefit former prime minister Nawaz Sharif who could be elected as leader of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) again despite being disqualified by the Supreme Court in the Panamagate case.
Earlier on Sunday, Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM) terminated the membership of a senator for voting against party principles.
Senator Mian Ateeq Shaikh had voted in favour of the PML-N rejecting the amendment.
