Parliamentary politics: Judicial probe accord brings PTI back to PA

Mian Mahmoodur Rashid leads 12 PTI MPAs to the House.

LAHORE:

With the federal government having agreed to our key demand about the formation of a judicial commission to probe alleged rigging in the 2013 general elections, the Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf sees it appropriate to return to the assemblies, Opposition leader in the Punjab Assembly Mian Mehmoodur Rasheed said on Monday.

He was addressing the media before leading 12 PTI MPAs to the House after a seven-moth hiatus.

He said his party’s mission was to fight for the rights of the people, not for seats in the assembly.



PTI lawmakers were welcomed in the House by Labour and Human Resources Minister Raja Ashfaq Sarwar and MPA Rana Sanaullah.

Earlier, a meeting of the PTI’s provincial parliamentary party scheduled for the day to deliberate on whether or not party MPAs should return to the House was cancelled in view of reports that the ongoing session could be prorogued indefinitely.

Addressing the media, Rasheed vowed that his party would continue to work for the benefit of the people, both in the House and outside it. He said while various other political parties too had raised the issue of rigging in the general elections, it was PTI alone that came out in the streets and made the government agree on a comprehensive probe into the rigging allegations.

Rasheed said the party’s decision to return to the assemblies was taken in view of the agreement reached with the government over the establishment of the judicial commission on poll rigging.

Rana Sanaulllah, former law minister and MPA, welcomed PTI’s decision to return to the assemblies. “This shows that change will come only through the ballot box, not through long marches,” he said. He said PTI’s return to the assemblies was a victory for democracy in the country.

He asked PTI chief Imran Khan to ensure due respect of institutions set up under the constitution of Pakistan even if there were reservations over the people who formed part of these institutions.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 7^th, 2015.