The PTI has terminated the basic party membership of 11 legislators of the Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly, including Chief Minister Gulbar Khan, alleging that they made a forward bloc and voted against the party decision, it emerged on Sunday.
Most of the suspended legislators are also cabinet members[1].
Apart from the CM, the identical termination notices — dated September 5 and available with Dawn.com — were issued to Abdul Hameed, Haji Shah Baig, Mushtaq Ahmad, Syed Amjad Ali Zaidi, Shamsul Haq Lone, Dilshad Bano, Raja Nasir Ali Khan Maqpoon, Surayya Zaman, Raja Azam Khan Amacha and Raja Fazal Rahim.
The notices stated that the decision to terminate memberships was effective immediately and in line with the PTI’s policy and procedures.
“The reason for your termination is your actions in the GB Assembly, especially making a forward block and voting against the party decision, which is a clear violation of our party’s policy. Your actions have caused harm to the party’s interests and reputation,” the notices read.
The lawmakers were also asked not to use the party’s “name, designation and/or membership in any manner or whatsoever, failing which the party reserves to take action against you which may also lead to legal action”.
Moreover, the PTI also issued a show-cause notice to former GB governor Raja Jalal Hussain Maqpoon.
The show cause notice, also dated September 5 and available with Dawn.com, said it had come to the PTI’s notice that Maqpoon had “conspired against the party and approached party members for defection”.
“In view of these reported activities, you are hereby called to explain yourself in writing within two days of this notice. If your reply is unsatisfactory or you do not respond, further action will be taken as per party policy and rules,” it added.
Gulbar Khan — a disgruntled member of the PTI who led a forward bloc in the party — had replaced[2] party’s Khalid Khurshid as the GB chief minister in July 2023, after the latter was disqualified[3] by the GB Chief Court for obtaining a licence from the GB Bar Council allegedly based on a fake education degree.
His disqualification had led several PTI lawmakers to switch sides, and ultimately, a coalition government, comprising PTI’s disgruntled members and PML-N and PPP lawmakers, was formed in the region, with Gulbar Khan as the CM.
Prior to that, a Dawn report[4] had cited sources as saying that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in consultation with the PPP and had nominated Gulbar for the coveted role.
Following Gulbar’s election, the PTI, through its Central Media Department, had issued a statement condemning the “robbery of public mandate in Gilgit-Baltistan in broad daylight”.
Later, the PTI had issued show cause[5] notices to 11 of its members for voting in favour of Gulbar Khan. Those served notices also included Gulbar Khan, Amjad Zaidi, Shams Lone, Abdul Hameed, Dilshad Bano, Haji Shah Baig, Surayya Zaman and Raja Fazal Rahim — all of whom were sent termination notices on Thursday.
References
- ^ cabinet members (www.dawn.com)
- ^ replaced (www.dawn.com)
- ^ disqualified (www.dawn.com)
- ^ report (www.dawn.com)
- ^ issued show cause (www.dawn.com)