By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Monday disqualified three lawmakers from the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party after they were convicted and sentenced to 10 years in prison for their roles in the violent riots that swept the country on May 9, 2023.
The disqualified lawmakers, Senator Ejaz Chaudhry, National Assembly member Mohammad Ahmed Chattha, and Punjab Provincial Assembly member Ahmad Khan, were stripped of their seats under Article 63(1)(h) of the Constitution, which bars individuals convicted of offenses involving moral turpitude and sentenced to at least two years in prison from holding public office.
The ECP’s notifications, issued Monday, formally recalled the lawmakers’ election certifications with immediate effect, marking a significant escalation in the legal and political challenges facing PTI, the party founded by former Prime Minister Imran Khan. The disqualifications stem from convictions handed down by anti-terrorism courts last week, tied to the unrest that followed Khan’s arrest in a corruption case more than two years ago.
Senator Chaudhry’s disqualification was detailed in an ECP notification referencing his conviction in the case titled ‘The State vs Dr Yasmin Rashid, etc.’, linked to violence on Sherpao Bridge during the May 9 riots. “As a consequence, Senator Ejaz Ahmad Chaudhry has become disqualified under Article 63(1)(h) of the Constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan for being member of [the] Senate,” the notice stated. “Resultantly, Notification No.F.3(2)/2021-Cord. dated 10th March, 2021 to the extent of Ejaz Ahmad Chaudhary, as Senator, is hereby recalled with immediate effect.”
Meanwhile, Chattha, a member of the National Assembly from NA-66 Wazirabad, and Khan, a Punjab Assembly member from PP-87 Mianwali-III, were convicted in a separate case, ‘The State vs Zafarullah Khan and others’, related to vandalism and riots in Mianwali. The ECP notification for the two lawmakers, issued after their July 22 sentencing, read: “As a consequence, Mohammad Ahmed Chattha, MNA from NA-66 Wazirabad and Ahmad Khan, MPA, Provincial Assembly Punjab from PP-87 Mianwali-III have become disqualified under Article 63(1)(h) of the Constitution … for being members of National Assembly and Provincial Assembly of Punjab respectively.” Their election notifications, dated February 16 and 17, 2024, respectively, were also recalled.
The anti-terrorism court rulings last week also saw PTI leader Shah Mahmood Qureshi acquitted in the Sherpao Bridge case, while others, including Dr Yasmin Rashid, received 10-year sentences alongside Chaudhry.
The convictions and subsequent disqualifications trace back to the chaotic events of May 9, 2023, when Khan was arrested from the premises of the Islamabad High Court in a graft case known as the Toshakhana case. His detention ignited nationwide protests by PTI supporters, who vented their fury on public properties and military installations. Among the most prominent targets was the Corps Commander House in Lahore, widely known as Jinnah House, which became a symbol of the unrest.
The violence marked a turning point in Pakistan’s already fractious political landscape, deepening the rift between PTI and the ruling coalition that had ousted Khan from the premiership in April 2022 through a no-confidence motion. Since then, Khan has remained behind bars, facing a barrage of charges ranging from corruption to terrorism, while his party has struggled to fend off what it calls a campaign of political persecution.
Monday’s disqualifications are the latest in a string of blows to PTI. In 2023, Khan himself was disqualified for five years following his conviction in the Toshakhana case, with the ECP invoking Article 63(1)(h) and Section 232 of the Elections Act, 2017. Since his August 2023 imprisonment, numerous PTI leaders and workers have been detained, with some securing bail while others remain incarcerated.
Earlier this month, Punjab Assembly Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmed Khan filed a reference with the ECP against 26 PTI legislators for “unparliamentary conduct” during a tumultuous June 27 session, where they were accused of disrupting Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz’s speech and causing chaos. The speaker later withdrew the petitions after negotiations with the opposition, offering a rare moment of de-escalation in the ongoing standoff.
The PTI has faced relentless pressure since Khan’s ouster, with its leadership accusing the government of weaponizing the judiciary to dismantle the opposition. The May 9 riots, while a show of PTI’s grassroots strength, have proven costly, ensnaring key figures in legal battles that threaten to sap the party’s momentum.
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