PML-N brings back ‘vote ko izzat do' call

Party leaders claim some elements within 'establishment' still supporting Imran Khan

LAHORE:

Woken up by burgeoning perils and strong headwinds, the PML-N seems to have not only brought back to service its old rallying cry of ‘vote ko izzat do’ (respect the vote), but also attempted to strike a sharper tone about the judiciary – in whose hands now rests the fate of the embattled chief minister of Punjab, Hamza Shehbaz.

Becoming feistier in its struggle against PTI, the ruling party has warned its arch-rival of completely rolling back the democratic system if it was ousted from the government.

PML-N’s provincial office bearer and former minister Ata Tarar on Saturday categorically refused to accept any decision from the Supreme Court unless it came from a full bench as he expressed dismay over the “duality of standards” in dealing with cases of PML-N and PTI.

He was addressing a gathering at Lahore’s Liberty Chowk, organised to express solidarity with Hamza Shehba. Keeping to his style, Ata also went to the extent of using a vulgar epithet used to refer to Imran Khan’s supporters.

Meanwhile, speaking on the occasion, Federal Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique made it clear that if they are pushed out of the government, there will be no elections, apparently alluding to a complete wrap-up of the political system.

He said that if PTI thought that it will be able to bring in a caretaker setup to win elections with its false narrative, it was wrong. He said if free and fair elections and economic stability were desired, the ongoing tug of war was a bad idea.

“If PTI wants a way forward, it will have to abandon its lies about the foreign conspiracy, stop threatening and abusing politicians, judges and armed forces.”

Talking about the SC’s hearing on the recent controversial re-election of Hamza Shehbaz, he said that in his opinion the interpretation of Article 63-A was contrary to the spirit of the Constitution and a full court review petition should be heard wherein this case should be annexed.

“Imran Khan was launched in the country under a project by state institutions,” he claimed, adding that some abettors of the project still continued to support him in the ‘establishment’.