The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Tuesday granted approval to a miscellaneous application for early hearing of a reference against 25 estranged lawmakers of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in the Punjab Assembly, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

The court set May 13 as the date for the hearing of the reference against Sibtain Khan and other dissident PTI lawmakers instead of May 17.

The court also issued a notice to the election commission and sought a reply from it.

Justice Shujaat Ali Khan heard the miscellaneous application with regard to a reference against Sibtain Khan and other PTI dissidents in Punjab Assembly.

The petitioner adopted before the court that a reference against the 25 dissident PTI lawmakers had been sent to the election commission which was yet to decide their de-seating.

The petitioner also stated that the case was pending in the LHC, adding that May 17 had been fixed for its hearing.

He pleaded with the court to issue orders for an early hearing of the case.

At this, the court set May 13 as the date for the hearing of the case, and it also directed the election commission to make an early decision on the reference sent against the dissident PTI MPAs.

Reporter: Malik Ashraf