Law ministry rejects ordinance to disqualify dissident members for 5 years: sources

• "Disqualification can only be carried out through a parliamentary act," says law minister.
• Law minister opposes imposing governor’s rule in Sindh, saying that “it would backfire.”
• Attorney general says no draft was presented before law ministry.

ISLAMABAD: The Federal Ministry of Law and Justice on Friday refused to promulgate an ordinance related to the disqualification of the dissident members for five years, objecting to the draft presented by Attorney General Khalid Javed Khan, sources privy to the matter said.

According to the sources, Law Minister Farogh Naseem apologised for amending the Election Act through an ordinance, saying that the “members of the Parliament cannot be disqualified through an ordinance”, adding that “the disqualification can only be carried out through a parliamentary act.”

The attorney general had proposed an ordinance under the Election Act 231 (A), that said: “the dissident members should be declared ineligible for five years.”

However, sources said Naseem refused to accept the ordinance and said: “According to Article 63 (1) (p), the legal disqualification of a member can only be carried out under a parliamentary act.

Moreover, a member of the government suggested that the law ministry should issue an ordinance that would later be repealed. However, the law minister rejected the request also.

Apart from that, the law minister opposed the imposition of the governor’s rule in Sindh, saying that “it would backfire.”

On the other hand, Attorney-General Khalid said that no draft was presented to the law ministry, and only the reference of the ordinance 63 (A) was discussed during the meeting. 

— Thumbnail image: AFP/File