The National Assembly of Pakistan speaker, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, submitted a reference to the Election Commission seeking the disqualification of Sohail Sultan, a member of the National Assembly from NA-4 Swat who represents the Sunni Ittehad Council.
The submission was based on a complaint by Nasrullah Khan, a Swat resident who alleged that Sultan misrepresented his employment status to the Election Commission.
According to the allegations, Sohail Sultan had served as Deputy Attorney General of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He failed to observe the two-year cooling-off period required for government employees before participating in elections. This rule prevents potential conflicts of interest for former government officials seeking elective office.
The matter came to the forefront following the assembly of a reference by Khan, which prompted the Speaker of the National Assembly to forward it to the Election Commission for further examination and action.
In response to these developments, PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry took to social media to defend Sultan. He argued that the position of Deputy Attorney General is a contractual, not a typical government position. He criticized the move as petty and undermining the dignity of the Speaker’s office.
Chaudhry emphasized the importance of preserving the integrity of the parliament and cautioned against actions that could tarnish its reputation. He highlighted that Ayaz Sadiq is a respected figure and, as such, should not be involved in actions that could be perceived as demeaning to the parliamentary institution.
