Pak NA speaker forwards reference to ECP seeking Imran Khan's disqualification

Pakistan National Assembly speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq has dismissed all references seeking disqualification of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and instead has sent similar references against two leaders of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf to the top poll supervisory body for action.

"After looking into the eight references I had received, I referred two to the Election Commission of Pakistan," the Express Tribune quoted Sadiq, who belongs to the ruling Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) party.

On Monday he also sent the references against PTI Chairman Imran Khan and his senior aide Jahangir Tareen to the Election Commission of Punjab (ECP) for further 'action as per the law'.

He stated that it is the ECP which has to take a decision on my recommendations within 90 days, adding the speaker's office was neither a court nor an investigation agency.

"The speaker takes a decision based on documentary evidence attached with a reference while keeping in view the rules to determine whether a question [as asked] arises or not," he said.

The speaker's office had received eight references-half of them seeking disqualification of Sharif allegedly for concealing assets, evading taxes, laundering money and two references had been filed by the PTI in the wake of Panama leaks.

The PML-N lawmakers in a counter move filed two references against the PTI Chairman and the PTI Secretary General.