‘Elections probe committee should be headed by opposition’

MMA leader claims PTI’s mini-budget will hurt poor by raising inflation

HYDERABAD: Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal’s general secretary Liaquat Baloch has welcomed the government’s announcement regarding the formation of a parliamentary committee to probe alleged rigging in the July 25 general elections. However, Baloch demanded while talking to the media in Hyderabad on Thursday that the committee’s head should be selected from among the legislators of opposition parties.

“The nation has strong reservations over rigging in the elections. We decided to sit in the parliament only for the sake of strengthening democracy,” he said, adding that all the opposition parties have been demanding an impartial probe of the allegations through a commission.



He said the terms of reference of the committee are yet to be formed and asked the government to include the senate as well in the committee. “An independent inquiry and audit of the elections is indispensable to make the electoral process fair and transparent.”

Commenting on release of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, his daughter Maryam Nawaz and son in law Capt (retd) Safdar from prison, Baloch said the court’s decision should be accepted. “The court’s order shouldn’t be subjected to ridicule or denigration.”

The MMA leader disapproved the mini budget of Paksitan Tehreek-e-Insaaf’s federal government, arguing that the budget would affect the poor people by increasing inflation. “The new government has brought a tsunami of inflation.”

Published in The Express Tribune, September 21^st, 2018.