PTI is involved in horse trading, says Javed Hashmi

Claims many MPAs had told him about monetary offers given to them by party leadership

MULTAN: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Javed Hashmi has alleged that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) is involved in horse trading as many MPAs had told him about the monetary offers given to them by the PTI leadership.

Speaking to journalists in Multan on Tuesday, he said that PTI has bent down in front of independent candidates to complete the number game. "Imran Khan lives in fool's paradise as he thinks he will become the prime minister of Pakistan after these election results. Infact he is now stuck in a greater crisis by not winning the majority of seats."

Hashmi said that neither Imran can become the prime minister of the country nor can he be elected as Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa's chief minister. Whatever Imran says in the morning, turns opposite in the evening by the establishment, he said, adding that Imran is only working as a pawn of the establishment.

The PML-N leader said that he advised Imran four years ago not to find shortcuts. He went on to say that he contested polls and sought the guidance of the ‘umpire’ because he has been trained to do so. He said that now PTI leadership is running after the independent candidates. He added that PTI was facing internal discord at the moment.

"Talks are underway with an independent candidate, Salman Naeem, who defeated Shah Mahmood Qureshi."

Hashmi said that in all his political speeches, Imran always reiterated that his government would not take a loan but now his would be finance minister has openly said that the country cannot be run without foreign financial help.

He maintained that he would convince opposition parties to accept Imran's government as it would not last more than a year. "Nobody from my party and other parties is accepting election results and I will accept it either," he said. He alleged that voters were kicked out of the polling station near his home by the law enforcement agencies.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 1^st, 2018.