Govt To File Reference With ECP For Disqualification Of Yousuf Raza Gilani On Wednesday

The government has announced its intention to file a reference with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for the disqualification of Yousuf Raza Gilani as a candidate for the Senate. On Tuesday evening, Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry spoke to media outside the ECP office, stating that since the Election Commission had closed for the day, the reference will be filed in the morning.

The ruling party bases its reference on the video of Ali Haider Gilani, son of Yousuf Raza Gilani, which has been circulating on social media. Allegations state that Ali Haider Gilani was telling a lawmaker how to vote.

Federal minister Fawad Chaudhry expressed the government's view, calling on the ECP to take note of the leaked video of Ali Haider Gilani.

For its part, the ECP rejected the claim that it had closed down on Tuesday evening, noting in a statement:
“The Election Commission has established a control room and the monitoring and control room remains operational 24 hours a day.” Moreover, the ECP has stated that it will investigate the video “on merit.”

Former Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani's son Ali Haider Gilani took the view that it was legally within his rights to meet the PTI lawmakers, and that he had asked them for “votes by conscience.” He stated: "Not just once, I will meet them a hundred times as it is my right to do so.”