Interpretation of Article 63A: Reference being filed in SC today, Asad Umar

ISLAMABAD: PTI Secretary General Asad Umar said on Sunday that the reference for interpretation of Article 63A would be filed today (Monday) in the Supreme Court (SC).

In a tweet, the minister said that the reference was ready and would be filed on Monday in the apex court and hoped that the case would put the bizarre trade of buying loyalties and becoming turncoat in politics to an end forever and the influence of money in politics would be reduced.

Former law minister and eminent constitutional expert Aitzaz Ahsan said that Article-63A is applicable to a member who votes against his party policy and that without casting a vote, a member of the assembly could not be disqualified.

Prime Minister Imran Khan has alleged use of massive money for purchase of conscience and loyalties of members of his party by the opposition for support to its no-confidence motion. However, the opposition has challenged the government to come up with any such evidence. The prime minister, during his speech at the Rawalpindi Ring Road ground-breaking ceremony, called on the estranged members of the National Assembly, belonging to the ruling PTI, to return. “I will give them the benefit of the doubt,” he remarked.

PTI’s Secretary General Asad Umar issued show-cause notices to as many as 13 MNAs of PTI (who had publicly announced plans to vote according to the call of their conscience and denied outright the money factor in this connection).