Islamabad [Pakistan], July 14 (ANI): The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Sunday expelled five members of the National Assembly (MNAs) for voting in favour of the 26th Constitutional Amendment, which was against the party's stance, Geo News reported.

As per the notification issued by PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, PTI has terminated the basic membership of MNAs Aurangzeb Khan Khichi, Zahoor Hussain Qureshi, Muhammad Ilyas Chaudhry, Mubarak Zeb and Usman Ali.

PTI's Central Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram shared information termination notice on social media platform X. Sources said the lawmakers were accused of violating PTI's official policy during the voting of the 26th Constitutional Amendment, which was passed by the National Assembly and Senate in October last year.

https://x.com/SheikhWaqqas/status/1944377101458579485

In a separate declaration issued to PTI members, Imran Khan-founded party stated that the lawmakers had returned to the National Assembly from different constituencies with the backing and as a nominee of the PTI in the elections held last year.

The party said that Aurangzeb Khan Khichi had joined the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz's (PML-N) parliamentary party and took up the office of Federal Minister [for National Heritage and Culture Division] and 'hence liable to disqualification as well.

The constitutional amendment was passed through both houses in October last year amid the protests by the opposition, which termed the move as an attempt to suppress the judiciary, Geo News reported.

Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari had signed the 26th Constitutional Amendment Bill into law after the legislation was approved by the parliament.

The treasury benches, comprising 211 seats, needed 224 seats in the Pakistan's National Assembly. However, their numbers increased to 219 after the backing of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), Geo News reported.

The amendments were passed after the PTI-backed independent lawmakers including Zahoor, Aurangzeb Khichi, Usman Ali, and Mubarak Zeb voted in favour of the 26th amendment along with the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid's (PML-Q) Chaudhry Ilyas. (ANI)