PTI Informs MNAs that if they don’t vote for Qureshi, they would be disqualified

ISLAMABAD: Following PTI leader Imran Khan’s removal from the country’s cabinet by a vote of no-confidence, the erstwhile ruling party has instructed its supporters to vote for Shah Mehmood Qureshi instead of the united opposition’s Shehbaz Sharif as Pakistan’s next prime minister.

A letter from PTI General Secretary Asad Umar to party legislators was issued “under the guidelines of the parliamentary leader and PTI chair,” according to the New York Times.

Shah Mehmood Qureshi has been nominated as the candidate for prime minister, and all members of the parliamentary party must attend the National Assembly session on April 11 and vote in favour of him, Umar Asad wrote.

In order to do so, “you are thus requested to come at 12 noon to Committee Room No. 5, the National Assembly of Pakistan,” reads a letter sent by the PTI’s parliamentary party. The PTI MNAs were also instructed to vote under the party’s stance in favour of Qureshi, according to the statement.

In order to avoid defection from the party and disqualification from the National Assembly, “all members of parliamentary party are required to adhere to these directives in true letter and spirit and the intent behind Article 63-A of the Constitution of Pakistan,” it said, warning that any violation of these directives would make up defection from the party and result in disqualification from the National Assembly.

Fawad Chaudhry, a top PTI official, has announced the PTI will resign in droves from all the nation’s legislatures over the nomination of Shehbaz Sharif to the position of prime minister.

Fawad, a former minister of communications in Imran Khan’s government, stated in a tweet: “Assembly resignations from the PTI have been announced. After the election of the new prime minister, the National Assembly will begin the process of resignations.”

The bulk of the PTI central executive committee (CEC) members, on the other hand, have been adamantly opposed to the concept of mass resignations from national and provincial assemblies.