Last minute recruitment: Qureshi accuses PPP of pre-poll rigging

Leaders of Odh tribe, former MPA Naveed Jahanian join PTI.

MULTAN/ FAISALABAD:

The federal government has recruited 4,000 jiyalas in the last 30 days in the National Bank of Pakistan violating the orders of the Election Commission of Pakistan,” Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf Vice Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi said on Friday.

He was addressing a press conference at his residence, where he produced some documents in support of his claim. He said that the PTI would approach the Supreme Court of Pakistan, if the chief election commission did not take notice of this “pre-poll rigging”.

Earlier, Muhammad Mansha, the Punjab President of the Odh Community, and 34 of his district presidents announced to join the PTI. Former Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid MPA Naveed Jahanian also joined PTI.

Qureshi said the governments had not stopped “political recruitments and transfers”. He alleged that all recruitment letters had been given without advertisement.

He said both the federal and Punjab governments were openly violating the orders of the Election Commission of Pakistan and the election commission remained silent. He said this silence was a question mark on free and fair elections in Pakistan. He said the SC should now take the matter in its hands.

To a question, he said that the PTI would be the first party to shun all kinds of aid from the United States after being voted into power.

Replying a question about Sikandar Bosan’s recent joining of the PML-N, Qureshi said he would only speak about it if some announcement was made.

“Till then, I must say he is a dedicated PTI worker.”

He said that the Pakistan Peoples Party had recently offered him a ticket and an office in the party, which, he said, he had declined. He said the PML-N had made him a similar offer.

“I do not want to be part of the status quo now. I will remain with the PTI to change the fate of the people of Pakistan for the better.”

Published in The Express Tribune, March 16^th, 2013.