ISLAMABAD: Former prime minister Imran Khan on Thursday moved Pakistan’s top court, seeking a lifetime ban on lawmakers belonging to his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party who revolted against him ahead of a no-confidence vote that brought down his administration.

Khan was ousted from power last Sunday after a joint opposition alliance secured 174 votes in favor of the resolution against him.

As the crucial no-confidence vote neared, over a dozen lawmakers belonging to Khan’s PTI announced they would side with the opposition.

The former prime minister’s administration has already filed a presidential reference in the Supreme Court, seeking the interpretation of Article 63-A of the constitution which relates to the disqualification of elected members if they vote, or abstain from voting, against the party guidelines.

The reference had asked the court if a parliamentarian found guilty of defection could be disqualified for life or not.

“Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan approached the Supreme Court on Thursday seeking a lifetime ban from contesting elections for defecting lawmakers,” reported Dawn.

PTI leader and lawyer Babar Awan moved the petition on Khan’s behalf, requesting the formation of a full court bench to “hear and decide this intricate question of interpretation of Article 63-A of the Constitution.”

The petition argued that defectors could be disqualified if they voted, or abstained from voting, against the orders of their party leadership in relation to the election of the prime minister or chief minister, or in a vote of confidence or a vote of no-confidence, or a money bill or a constitution amendment bill.

The petition said the said PTI members had violated their constitutional oath.

“The oath of members clearly states that they will abide by the Constitution, thus while deviating from the party policy, a member, in reality, is defecting from the Constitution and is violating his oath to office,” the petition said, according to Dawn.

The PTI’s allegation that its government was toppled by the opposition on the behest of a foreign power was also mentioned in the petition which argued that defections usurped the mandate of people, exposed the system to uncountable humiliation before the international community and sabotaged national security.

It added that such defections also enabled foreign enemies to use parliamentarians as “tools to dislodge a democratically elected government,” Dawn said.