January 2, 2025
By Rana Malhi
ISLAMABAD
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has formally submitted a detailed reference to the Chairman Senate seeking the declaration of defection of Senator Saifullah Abro under Article 63A of the Constitution of Pakistan for allegedly violating party discipline by voting in favour of the 27th Constitutional Amendment.
The reference, dated 31 December 2025, has been filed by PTI Parliamentary Leader in the Senate Syed Ali Zafar in his capacity as Party Head, and requests that the declaration be forwarded to the Chief Election Commissioner for consideration by the Election Commission of Pakistan.
PTI’s Reference: Background and Allegations
According to the reference, Senator Saifullah Abro was a member of the PTI Parliamentary Party in the Senate at the time of voting on the 27th Constitutional Amendment.
The document states that prior to the voting, a formal meeting of the PTI Parliamentary Party was convened in which it was unanimously decided that all PTI senators would oppose and not vote in favour of any legislative measure or bill relating to the 27th Constitutional Amendment. This decision, the reference says, was communicated to all PTI senators in writing.
The reference further states that in addition to the party decision, a clear and specific direction to oppose the amendment was issued by the undersigned Parliamentary Leader of PTI in the Senate to all senators, including Senator Saifullah Abro. PTI claims the record confirms that the direction was properly conveyed to Abro, that he was fully aware of it, and that the direction was also widely published in the media.
Despite these directions, PTI alleges that during voting in the Senate on 10 November 2025, Senator Saifullah Abro cast his vote in favour of the 27th Constitutional Amendment. The reference further states that on 15 November 2025, he again voted in favour of the amendment, once more in violation of the clear, unanimous, and duly communicated party direction.
Show-Cause Notice and Party Decision
The reference states that following these votes, a show-cause notice bearing No. F-1(1)/PS-PL-PTI/2025, dated 2 December 2025, was issued to Senator Saifullah Abro in compliance with the requirements of Article 63A.
According to the document, the show-cause notice was sent to Abro’s residential and official mailing addresses in Larkana and Islamabad, affording him full and adequate opportunity to explain why a declaration of defection should not be made against him. PTI maintains that despite the lapse of time, no reply or explanation was received from Senator Abro. A copy of the show-cause notice was attached with the reference.
The reference further states that by voting contrary to party directions, Senator Abro committed a deliberate and willful breach of party discipline. PTI argues that this conduct squarely attracts the provisions of Article 63A, which provide that if a member of a parliamentary party votes contrary to a party direction in relation to a constitutional amendment bill, the party head may declare the member to have defected.
After what the reference describes as due consideration of all facts, the PTI Parliamentary Party and the undersigned Parliamentary Leader concluded that Senator Abro’s conduct constituted defection from PTI. The reference therefore formally declares him to have defected and requests that the Chairman Senate refer the matter to the Chief Election Commissioner for decision by the Election Commission under Article 63A.
Saifullah Abro rejects reference, denies receiving any notice
Responding to the reference, Senator Saifullah Abro strongly rejected PTI’s claims while talking to media at Parliament House, terming the move politically motivated and based on internal party conflicts rather than constitutional violations.
Abro stated that the fundamental issue was that PTI never genuinely opposed the 27th Constitutional Amendment and that the party’s position was neither clear nor consistent. He openly criticised PTI’s Senate leadership, saying that Ali Zafar was not capable of leading and that it would be better to stage protests at D-Chowk than follow such leadership.
He categorically denied receiving any show-cause notice or formal letter under Article 63A, saying no communication was ever served on him in Islamabad or Larkana. He alleged that decisions regarding his removal were announced through social media rather than through proper party procedures.
Allegations of internal collusion and committee politics
Abro alleged that the real reason behind the action against him was his removal from a Senate committee chairmanship, which he claimed was taken away through collusion between PTI leaders and government figures.
He alleged that Chairman Senate Yousaf Raza Gillani, Senator Sherry Rehman, and Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar were involved, with the consent of PTI leaders Aun Abbas Bappi and Ali Zafar. Abro claimed that PTI founder Imran Khan had proposed his name for the chairmanship of the Senate Standing Committee on Interior, but internal opposition ensured he was sidelined.
He further said he never resigned from the party despite difficult circumstances, questioned the selective return of some leaders who had earlier resigned, and criticised what he described as the party’s transformation into a “social media party.”
Abro maintained that the reference against him was not about Article 63A but about internal power struggles within PTI, particularly over parliamentary committees and influence.
The reference has now been submitted to the Chairman Senate and is expected to be forwarded to the Election Commission for further proceedings under Article 63A, while Senator Saifullah Abro has indicated he will challenge the allegations politically and legally.