PTI issues show-cause notices to Zain Qureshi, others for 'violating' party instructions

• PTI told lawmakers to remain safe, secure, at designated location.
• "... you had full intention of defecting," says party in notices.
• Other four PTI-backed independents vote in favour of tweaks.
  

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has issued show-cause notices to party members Zain Qureshi, Riyaz Fatyana, Aslam Ghuman, and Miqdad Ali Khan for violation of party instructions ahead of the passage of the 26th Constitutional Amendment in the Parliament House.

In its show-cause notice to the lawmakers, issued by the party's central secretariat on Tuesday, PTI said it had directed all its members of the National Assembly and Senate to remain safe, secure, and at a designated location and not to be in touch with anyone for or on behalf of the government for the purpose of the constitutional tweaks.

The party's notices were issued two days after the ruling coalition government-backed 26th Constitutional Amendments were passed in both the upper and lower house of the parliament — the process of which began on Sunday evening and ended in the morning hours on Monday (October 21).

During the vote on the contentious amendments brought forth by the administration of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, strongly opposed by the PTI, the government secured 225 votes, surpassing the required 224, with support from a handful of independent MNAs, including members of the Imran Khan-founded party.

Zahoor Qureshi, Aurangzeb Khichi, Usman Ali, and Mubarak Zeb were the PTI-backed independent MNAs who voted in the tweak's favour, while Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q)'s Chaudhry Ilyas also supported the legislation.

Meanwhile, Zain was incommunicado since October 16 and his video regarding his status began circulating on October 21 following the passage of the legal reforms. On the other hand, PTI Opposition Leader Omar Ayub claimed about the lawmaker's wife being arrested from her house, Miqdad Ali being disappeared while travelling to Islamabad and Fatyana's son being "disappeared" twice. Ghuman, too, was not in contact with the party both before and during the legislative process. 

"These instructions were issued to every MNA and Senator in order to avoid, not only harassment but also to be in touch with the party or its authorized representative for further instructions in the aforesaid matter," read the notices.

In the separate notices to all four lawmakers, the party maintained that each of them had the instruction and directions communicated to them.

"Needless to add that you were bound to follow these party directions and instructions, including the direction to be at the designated location, and those abroad not to come to Pakistan till further instruction, and not to be in communication with anyone for or on behalf of the Government for the purpose of the 26th constitutional amendment," it added.

However, it further read, the members left the designated location, and you avoided contact with the party or its authorised persons in the several days leading up to the vote in "disregard of the aforesaid directions and instructions".

"We have been provided with credible evidence and statements from reliable sources that you had full intention of defecting in case your vote was needed," the letter stated.

The party has, therefore, asked the lawmakers to respond to the notice within seven days, explaining why they should not be declared to have defected from the party and/or that "you have violated the party instructions, thus liable to be expelled from the Party forthwith".

"Should you fail to respond to this notice, it would be assumed that you have nothing to say in your defense and you will be proceeded against without further notice, including expulsion from the party," read the notice.