PPP, PMLN join hands ahead of PP-168 by-election

PML-N leader Khawaja Saad Rafique says NAB is taking revengeful actions

LAHORE: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has announced it will support Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidate for the by-election on PP-168 in the December 13 by-election.

The constituency had been vacated by Khawaja Saad Rafique after he managed to win the National Assembly seat against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s candidate.

In a ceremony held in connection with the election campaign on Sunday, the PML-N leader Pervaiz Malik thanked PPP for supporting his party for the December 13 by-poll on PP-168. Recently, PPP had also supported PML-N in the elections on two Senate seats of Punjab.

Earlier, the two parties also agreed on a seat adjustment during the by-election held in October that helped the opposition secure 11 NA and 24 provincial assembly seats.

On the occasion, PML-N Opposition Leader in Punjab Assembly Hamza Shehbaz said the party became part of the democratic process despite its reservations regarding fairness of the elections. He added that the party which stole the public mandate failed to even secure their earlier won seats.

He said Khawaja Saad lost the general election by a thin margin but managed to win back NA-131 constituency by a big margin.

Hamza Shehbaz said that PML-N leader Shehbaz Sharif had worked tirelessly for the people of this province even at the cost of this health.

He said that there were some leaders who were busy taking away the livelihood of the people by taking down their shops and shelters.

Hamza said Prime Minister Imran Khan spoke against Metro Bus and loans borrowed by the previous government and later had to ‘eat his own words’. He shared that Peshawar Metro Bus service had turned the city into a ruin. He said PM used to say he would never take loans but had taken a U-turn on this statement too.

The PML-N leader said PM Imran spoke about accountability but he appeared to be soft when it came to his sister, Aleema Khan.

He said people should vote for PML-N to shun this government.

Meanwhile, PML-N central leader Khawaja Saad Rafique said his party was not in the process of striking a deal with anyone.

Addressing party workers convention at Walton Road, Lahore, he said National Accountability Bureau (NAB) was taking revengeful actions. He claimed that the bureau was administering drugs to Qaiser Amin Butt.

The PML-N lawmaker said rule of law was being violated ruthlessly. He added that his party was not being given justice and their only mistake was that they had spoken up.

He said the country had been handed over to a group of people who do not understand anything and were only experts on abusive language. He shared that people should understand why Nawaz Sharif was silent.