PS-114 by-poll: Contest between people and ruling elite, says Qureshi

PTI vice-chairman vows tough competition on July 9

KARACHI: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Vice-Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi has said that by-poll in the Sindh Assembly constituency - PS-114 – is a contest between the people and the ruling elite.

The senior politician also vowed that there would be a tough competition in the PS-114 constituency to be held on July 9.

Qureshi expressed these views while talking to newsmen at Karachi Airport on Tuesday. He was flanked by senior PTI leaders Firdous Shamim Naqvi, Najeeb Haroon, Haleem Adil Sheikh, Jamal Siddiqui, Dawa Khan Sabir and Raja Azhar.

Accusing Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) of serving their own interests instead of working for the people, he said, “Now people have a chance to reject such corrupt elements with the power of vote.”



“There is a competition between the masses and the ruling elite,” said Qureshi. “PPP, MQM and PML-N always preferred to serve their own interests instead of helping citizens. Today, the citizens have a chance to defeat these corrupt politicians. That’s why I have reached Karachi to express my solidarity with the masses.”

“Since long the people of Karachi have been facing various problems and I am here to express solidarity with them,” he added.

He said many candidates affiliated with various political parties were in the run for the by-election, but PTI’s candidate Najeeb Haroon is honest among them as he pays his taxes.



However, it is unfortunate that the ruling elite, instead of paying taxes, move that money abroad.

Criticising the PPP-led Sindh government, Qureshi said that the corrupt rulers adopted a dictatorial approach and repealed the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) law.

He said the opposition was not given a chance to debate over the bill and also did not bring any other law to replace it. “It seems like the efforts are being made to save Dr Asim, Sharjeel Inam Memon and Manzur Kaka, but the PTI will not tolerate such acts and will move the courts in this regard,” he added.

Later in the evening, Qureshi also visited the PS-114 constituency where he met the residents and addressed the citizens in different locations in the constituency.



It is pertinent to mention that the seat of the PS-114 constituency had fallen vacant after the Supreme Court declared the election of PML-N’s Irfan Marwat as null and void. Twenty-seven candidates are contesting the election, but the main contest is expected among the candidates of PPP, PTI, PML-N and MQM-Pakistan. Haroon has been nominated by the PTI to run for the seat in a bid to give a tough time to the rival political parties. Earlier, the PTI had announced Chaudhry Owais - the party’s district East leader - as its candidate for the by-poll; however, after consultations with party’s leadership in the constituency, the PTI decided to field Haroon as its candidate. Haroon is a senior PTI official counted among the party’s founding members.