ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) on Monday filed a reference against Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for his disqualification as a member of the National Assembly.

The PTI’s Deputy Parliamentary Leader in the National Assembly, Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Chief Whip Dr Shireen Mazari and senior leader and MNA Dr Arif Alvi handed over the reference to Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq in his office.

Before presenting the reference to the speaker, Mr Qureshi chaired a parliamentary committee meeting of his party to get the reference’s approval.

In a statement released by the media wing of the PTI, the party said the reference was part of the party’s efforts against the background of the Panama Papers leaks involving the prime minister.

Talking to reporters after filing the reference, the PTI leaders said that enough evidence was available whereby the prime minister had allegedly lied both inside and outside the Parliament House about property his sons and daughter owned in London.

Citing Articles 62 and 63 of the Constitution, they said the prime minister fell under the criterion to be disqualified as a member of the National Assembly.

It may be recalled here that on similar grounds, the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz had already filed a reference with the speaker against PTI chairman Imran Khan.

Having two references on his table, it will be interesting to see how the speaker deals with both of them.

Under the Constitution, if the speaker doesn’t take action on a reference, after one month it automatically gets transferred to the Election Commission of Pakistan for necessary action.

Published in Dawn, August 16th, 2016