ECP disqualifies three PTI lawmakers over May 9 convictions

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Monday officially disqualified three Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmakers following their convictions in criminal cases.

The disqualifications were made under Article 63(1)(h) of the Constitution, which bars individuals from holding public office if convicted of an offence involving moral turpitude and sentenced to at least two years in prison.

The lawmakers disqualified include Senator Ejaz Ahmad Chaudhry, Member of the National Assembly (MNA) Mohammad Ahmed Chattha (NA-66, Wazirabad), and Member of the Punjab Provincial Assembly Ahmad Khan (PP-87, Mianwali-III).

Senator Chaudhry was convicted and sentenced to 10 years in prison in a case linked to the May 9 riots, titled The State vs Dr Yasmin Rashid, etc. The ECP notification stated that the 2021 notification regarding his Senate membership was "hereby recalled with immediate effect."

Separately, Chattha and Khan were sentenced on July 22 in another May 9-related case, The State vs Zafarullah Khan and others. Their respective notifications of election, dated February 2024, were also revoked.

These developments come weeks after a Lahore anti-terrorism court sentenced PTI leaders Dr Yasmin Rashid, Ejaz Chaudhry and others to 10 years in prison over their alleged involvement in violence on Sherpao Bridge during last year’s riots. PTI leader Shah Mahmood Qureshi, also named in the case, was acquitted.

Earlier this month, the Punjab Assembly Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmed Khan had filed a reference with the ECP seeking the disqualification of 26 PTI lawmakers for allegedly disrupting a session on June 27. However, the petitions were withdrawn after negotiations between the government and the opposition.

In 2023, PTI founder Imran Khan was similarly disqualified by the ECP under Article 63(1)(h) following his conviction in the Toshakhana case.