Waheeda Shah didn’t slap, she pressed: Raja Riaz

Riaz says Waheeda is a widow, media played video repeatedly which made it look like she slapped staffer several times.

LAHORE: Opposition Leader in the Punjab Assembly Raja Riaz said on Thursday that Waheeda Shah Bukhari did not slap anyone, she just “pressed” the presiding officer with her hand.

Talking to media outside the Punjab Assembly, Riaz defended what the disqualified Pakistan Peoples Party’s MPA from Tando Muhammad Khan did on the polling day.

Riaz said that Bukhari is a widow and the disqualification was a second blow to her after her husband’s death.

“She just pressed the presiding officer as she (the presiding officer) was involved in rigging,” he said.

“It is media that created the whole issue, they manipulated the video and played it repeatedly which made it look like Waheeda slapped the staffer several times.”

Responding to Raja’s comments, Law Minister Rana Sanaullah said that no widow or orphan was allowed to slap the polling staff. “Being a widow does not give her a license to slap anyone. PPP has a history of not accepting the judicial verdicts and this time too they are making accusing rather than accepting the Election Commission’s verdict,” said Sanaullah.

Sanaullah said that the punishment was justified and the Riaz’s statement is another “foolish one” from the opposition leader.

He further said that the verdict is an example for those who try to oppress the masses on the pretext of democracy.