ECP to announce verdict in Ayesha Gulalai disqualification case on 24th October

ISLAMABAD (INP): The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Tuesday reserved judgment in a case of disqualification of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Ayesha Wazir Gulalai. The verdict would be announced on 24th October, 2017.

A five-member bench of the ECP headed by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sardar Raza Khan heard the disqualification case of estrange PTI leader Ayesha Gulalai.

During the proceedings, the counsel of Imran Khan said that the Member National Assembly (MNA) had announced to quit the party and now she is disagreeing from her announcement. He prayed the tribunal to cancel her assembly membership.

The CEC asked if there was any procedure of resignation in the PTI to which the lawyer said that there was no procedure of tendering resignation in the constitution of the PTI, adding that party chairman Imran Khan can suspend or abolish any member from the party.

He reiterated that Gulalai announced to leave the party and then backtracked from her statement. She does not need to present a written resignation to leave the party. “Gulalai leaving party but not leaving assembly membership is not possible as per the party Constitution,” said the lawyer.

He further said that after the declaration from Imran Khan, Ayesha Gulalai’s assembly membership should be cancelled. PTI Chairman Imran Khan had sent a notice to Gulalai stating that she has defected from the party in terms of Article 63 A (1) of the Constitution.

The notice, dated August 28, states that Gulalai on August 1 publically resigned from the party, did not vote for the party’s designated candidate in the prime minister’s elections on August 1.