Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq has started consulting his legal team on the reference filed against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan, sources told Daily Times on Friday. Sources said that a meeting to decide the fate of the reference was held at his chambers, which was attended by Adviser to the NA Speaker Karamat Niazi along with officers from the Law Ministry and the National Assembly Secretariat. The speaker opened the sealed envelope and had a detailed discussion with his legal team on the evidence and documents submitted by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) in the reference. The ruling party wants Imran Khan disqualified for keeping secret his offshore companies, sources said. According to sources, the legal team also gave some suggestions to the NA speaker on the basis of documents provided by the ruling party.  The speaker said that he would not make any decision in haste, as he was the custodian of the House and his primary responsibility was to protect all of his members.  He said that although Imran Khan was his political rival and had contested election against him, he would not make any decision that defied the constitution or law. Sources said that the legal consultations would continue in the upcoming days, as the speaker first wanted to check the admissibility of the reference, since the PML-N wanted Imran Khan disqualified under articles 62 and 63 of the constitution. Sources said that after detailed deliberations, the speaker would seek the viewpoints of the attorney general, Law Ministry high-ups and constitutional experts before deciding the fate of the reference. According to the constitution, if the speaker does not come up with any decision on this reference in 30 days, it would automatically be referred to the election commission, sources said.