ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court has suspended the membership of 28 parliamentarians who were elected to their National Assembly and Senate seats through by-polls held after the 18th amendment.
The order came on Monday as Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry resumed hearing of a petition filed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan, requesting the apex court to block by-elections until the Election Commission of Pakistan prepares corrected electoral rolls that do not contain bogus voters.
The court struck down the memberships of those MPs who were elected through by-polls after the 18th amendment, saying that they will remain suspended until the 20th amendment is passed which will legitimise their election to their respective seats.
Among the suspended members are 11 provincial assembly members, nine National Assembly members and three senators. MNAs include Jamshaid Dasti, Owais Leghari and Badshah Qaiserani, while Senators include Finance Minister Abdul Hafeez Shaikh and Petroleum Minister Dr Asim Hussain.