Mehmood could not have won
without rigging with the help of police and official machinery says a NA-126 resident. PHOTO: EXPRESS/ FILE
Supporters of Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) blocked the main road in Faisal Town with flaming tyres here on Monday in a protest against alleged rigging by Shafqat Mehmood of Tehreek-i-Insaf.
The protestors also burnt an effigy of the PTI candidate, who defeated PML-N candidate Khawaja Ahmed Hassaan at NA-126.
“He rigged the elections with the help of police to win the National Assembly seat,” said Asif Ali, a PML-N supporter at the protest.
Mehmood polled 93,513 votes to edge out Hassaan with 86,700 votes in the only National Assembly contest in Lahore not won by the PML-N.
“It is a traditional PML-N seat and the people in this constituency support the PML-N leadership. He (Mehmood) could not have won without rigging with the help of police and official machinery,” said Khurram, a resident of NA-126.
NA-126 includes the areas of Model Town, Gulberg, Makkah Colony, Madina Colony, Naseerabad, Shah Kamal, Pakki Thatthi, Kashmir Block, Rehmanpura, Gulshan Iqbal, Sikandar Block, Awan Town, Johar Town, Garden Town, Model Town, Township, Liberty, Ferozepur Road, Kalma Chowk, Faisal Town, Garden Town, Wafaqi Colony, Allam Iqbal Town, Wahdat Colony, Najaf Colony, Punjab University New Campus, Muslim Town and parts of Johar Town.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 14th, 2013.
COMMENTS (12)
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Though I am a staunch supporter of Nawaz Shareef Sahab, I request him to please look into this and let everything be fair. We did not need rigging in the first place as our party was well placed to win by a good number. However incidents I have seen on TV about PML-Nawaz doing rigging have put me to shame. And I am sure a person like Nawaz Shareef would immediately kick his party people who were involved in this crime.
I am surprised that they needed 3 days to think about whether to do this or not. PTI has been complaining since the election day and nobody is listening. Though I have sympathies with all Pakistanis regardless of their political affiliation, I strongly feel that provincial government officers may have been easily influenced and even threatened to work in favor of PMLN as it was all likely to make the next government. If PMLN is sure of its mandate it should agree for re-election in the said constituencies as confident people don't make lame excuses. ECP should clear this issue quickly to restore the respect we have for democracy, otherwise, people will again start missing Pervez Musharraf. To me this and similar dramas by all the old parties is being conducted to pressurize the PTI which has recently gained a surprising popularity.
I am surprised that they needed 3 days to think about whether to do this or not. PTI has been complaining since the election day and nobody is listening. Though I have sympathies with all Pakistanis regardless of their political affiliation, I strongly feel that provincial government officers may have been easily influenced and even threatened to work in favor of PMLN as it was all likely to make the next government. If PMLN is sure of its mandate it should agree for re-election in the said constituencies as confident people don't make lame excuses. ECP should clear this issue quickly to restore the respect we have for democracy, otherwise, people will again start missing Pervez Musharraf.
PTI supporters blocked traffic at Ghazi Road, Defence Lahore. How many people will have suffered from that and are still? This educated lot of Imran Khan sympathizers should have done sit-in in some ground. And they are still less than 500 after all efforts by PTI leadership.
PTI supporters did the same old protest in Ichhra and Samanabad to protest over defeat of Imran Khan from NA-122, Lahore. And they were also hardly about 100+ just. They could not decide whether to sit-in or to do a rally. And then they dispersed and have not been been able to protest again.
two wrongs' do not not make it right*
@M!: Please get rid of this superiority complex. The PTI wave will die out with this attitude. It has become a norm of the PTI supporters of being self-righteous and thinking of their opponents as stupid or illiterate. Learn to Lose with dignity and stand up to build the nation along with the winners. Stop assuming things without any concrete proof.
@waseem sarwar: you are still with numbers. you haven't seen the numbers in polls? ahaahaaa
I am also the resident of NA 126 constituency, and i think PTI has won the election fairly. I don't know about Khawaja Ahmad Ahsaan but people from my area respect Shahfqat Mehmood a lot and so far as Touseef Shah is concerned people were not in his favor (they ignored the major problems in our areas leaving aside minor ones which led them to their defeat).
And as far as the comment from the protester saying NA 126 being traditional seat, than what about NA 1?
If PML-n wants to recount the votes in NA-126, then there should also be recounting in NA 122,125.
And Congratulation to PML-N for their victory. Let's pray to Allah that the new government will solve our problem and divert their focus from developing roads etc. and work on the progress of the nation as whole.
awwwhhh, can ET also mention their numbers too? hardly 100 people were present there.
This is the difference between the youth of PTI and PML-N's youth. On one side, PTI protests peacefully by arranging sit ins, and nooras burning tyres. Pakistan ka Allah hee hafiz!
If PMLN also wants reelection, lets do.