SC suspends membership of 28 parliamentarians

The CJP has said the court cannot shut its eyes to the Constitution while giving verdicts.The Supreme Court said the membership of 28 MPs would remain suspended until Parliamentary endorsement. The apex court had given the deadline until February 6 for endorsement, failing which the MPs have been suspended.These MPs’ elections had been challenged on the plea that they had been elected on bogus voters’ lists.Chief of Tehreek-e-Insaf Imran Khan had filed a petition in the apex court against any election on the current voter lists as he claimed the lists have over 30 million fake votes.Khan had also requested the apex court to block more bye-elections until the Election Commission of Pakistan prepares corrected electoral rolls that do not list bogus voters.The Supreme Court had given time to the Election Commission to remove the fake votes and to prepare new lists but the Commission could not meet the deadline.These 28 members include three senators out of which two are working as federal ministers while nine are members of the National Assembly, 11 of the provincial assemblies and five members are on reserved seats.The members include Federal Minister for Finance Senator Abdul Hafeez Sheikh, Minister for Petroleum Dr Asim Hussain, Senator Syed Sajid Hussain.Nine MNAs are Chaudhary Asghar Ali Jutt of PPP, Jamshed Ahmed Dasti of PPP, Muhammad Akhtar Khan Kanju (Independent), Sardar Shafqat Hayat Khan (PML-N), Ch Tassaduq Masud Khan (PPP), Haji Khuda Bux Rajar (PML-F), Ms Khadija Aamir Yar Malik (PPP), Sardar Mumtaz Khan (PML-N), Sardar Awais Ahmed Khan Leghari (PML-Q).The MPAs include Syed Basit Ahmed Sultan, Mian Muhammad Ajmal Asif, Ahmed Mujtaba Gilani, Sardar Meer Badshah Qaisrani, Malik Saif-ul-Malook Khokhar, Ijaz Ahmed Khatoon, Malik Ghulam Raza, Saifuddin Khalid, Ghulam Qadir Khan Bettani, Muhammad Rashad Khan and Maulvi Muhammad Sarwar Musakhel.Five MPs on reserved seats of women and minorities are Humaira Awais Shahid, Rana Rizvi, Arif Masih, Rasheed Khan Bhai, Chettan Mal were elected after the promulgation of 18th Amendment.The talks between PPP and PML-N were held to pass the 20th amendment to the Constitution so that the membership of elected MPs could remain intact.The court has adjourned the hearing of incomplete Election Commission case for two weeks.