Expelled for horse-trading: Another MPA challenges PTI to prove allegations

Yasin Khalil claims party decided to hand over seats to billionaire

PESHAWAR: Another lawmaker from the ruling party has come out to slam allegations of selling his vote in the recent Senate elections, claiming instead that any deal for horse-trading was done at the party level.

The allegations come on Sunday from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmaker Yasin Khalil, whose name had been included by the party in a list of 18 lawmakers who had allegedly indulged in horse-trading in last month’s Senate elections.

Addressing a news conference at his residence on Sunday, the lawmaker rejected allegations levelled against him by PTI Chairman Imran Khan and presented his case of innocence.

He added that if any evidence of his involvement in horse-trading is found, he would quit politics.

However, if the party leadership failed to provide any evidence against him, they would have to admit that before the entire nation.

Khalil claimed that the entire exercise was one of political scoring, alleging that first the PTI chairman used party members for his own ends and tried to make them scapegoats.

The provincial lawmaker pointed out how the party chairman had allotted a Senate ticket to Faisal Javed Khan because he never failed to praise Imran during rallies. The ticket given to Meher Taj Rogahni, on the other hand, was on merit, Khalil admitted.

However, Khalil alleged that the remaining four Senate seats, which the party was eligible for, were handed over to a billionaire who has no loyalties or ties with the party.

Explaining his allegations, Khalil said that on March 2, the party had divided the voting panels and MPAs in each voting bracket to ensure their candidates are elected.

“At the time I had refused to cast my vote for him [billionaire] because I know that members of his panel were against the party. In the end, the party accused us of not casting our vote in favour of the party’s suggested candidate,” he disclosed, adding on the continuous demands from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Chief Minister Pervez Khattak, he was compelled to cast his.

“On polling day, I tried to take a photo of my vote, but since it was against the rules that I could not do that and show them [party leaders] my loyalty,” Khalil lamented.

He added that he was unaware of the allegations or probe against him until he saw Imran read out the list on television on April 20.

“I live in a house far more expensive than Bani Gala, I have been in politics for years and did not join on a parachute, like other party members,” Khalil fumed.

Moreover, Khalil disclosed that he had supported the party financially when it faced a difficult time, adding that he would never sell his conscience for a few million rupees.

He also criticized the construction of the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project in Peshawar, noting that Imran was never interested in it after having criticised the Punjab government for a similar project. However, he claimed that K-P Chief Minister Pervez Khattak had suggested building the project so that he could secure around Rs4 billion to use in the upcoming election.

The disgruntled lawmaker added that while the PTI never shied away from accusing people of corruption, but they have yet to recover a single penny from such people.

Khalil stated that he intended to approach the Peshawar High Court (PHC) against the allegations levelled against him by the PTI leadership.

He said that PTI only blamed people for corruption but still they failed to recover a single penny from them. About his future political career, he said that he has a good reputation and people trusted him and he would take next step with the consultation of area people.

Uncertainty in party

The recent list of party members allegedly selling their votes in the Senate elections and some members being sidelined in favour of others for the upcoming general elections, many PTI members are facing a period of uncertainty.

In Peshawar, it is speculated that party may opt for to award electoral tickets to new entrants rather than members of the old guard.

A senior party member, who did not wish to be named, shared that in NA- Peshawar, longstanding member Gul Bacha had failed to win the seat against Awami National Party (ANP) leader Ghulam Bilour. Hence, in the upcoming general elections, the ticket for the seat may be allotted to former Town Nazim Haji Shaukat Ali who had joined the PTI from the PPP last year.

Similarly, former ANP member Arbab Najee is expected to be handed the ticket for NA-2 over Engineer Hamidul Haq. Haq had defeated Najeeb in the last general elections.

Similarly, NA-3 Peshawar would see winning incumbent Sajid Nawaz dropped in favour of former PPP member Noor Alam Khan who the party believes would be a stronger candidate.

In NA-4, the party may opt to hand the ticket to former PML-N candidate Nasir Musazai over the incumbent Arbab Amir Khan.

According to PTI official website, the last date for submitting applications for the upcoming general election candidates is May 4 along with a bond of Rs100,000 for national assemblies and Rs50,000 for provincial assemblies.

Party chairman Imran would finalise the candidates from short-list created by the party’s parliamentary board.

A PTI provincial lawmaker told The Express Tribune that the party chief had promised to award ticket to those who were loyal to the party and play a positive role in the Senate elections. Older party members will be adjusted while new joining will also be awarded.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 23^rd, 2018.