PP-196 by-poll: Qureshi congratulates PML-N candidate
Says he understands limitations of govt machinery and will not complain.
He thanked the Election Commission for holding a free and fair election and said, “We have no complaints.” PHOTO: AFP
MULTAN:
“We accept the by-poll result in PP-196 wholeheartedly… the democratic process is the real winner,” Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf vice chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi said in a press conference at his house on Friday.
He said the PTI had accepted the election result and congratulated Rana Mehmoodul Hasan on winning the election. He said they had accepted the result in the spirit of democracy.
“There is a difference between the results of general elections and by-polls. A lot of people show up to vote in general elections but not a lot of them bother in by-polls because they know that their votes will not be able to change the government...then there was the scorching weather.” He mentioned that the voter turnout had been 28 per cent.
He thanked the Election Commission for holding a free and fair election and said, “We have no complaints.”
The PTI leader said their struggle for free and fair elections had borne fruit. “We want to restore people’s faith in the electoral process and establish sanctity of the vote.” Whenever there are elections in India, people come out in droves to vote, he said.
He said that he was aware of the limitations and problems of the government machinery. “But I will not complain.”
Qureshi also thanked the regional and district party leaders. He said several clashes had been reported from some polling stations. “Several PTI women workers, including Qurban Fatima, were detained at polling stations…we have footage to prove it,” he said. Qureshi thanked PTI workers for staying level-headed and facing the situation bravely.
He said the government had failed its people in several ways. “The new electricity and gas tariff should be condemned far and wide.”
However, he said, the PTI still had hope. If the judicial commission to probe rigging found that the general elections had been rigged, the assemblies will be dissolved and fresh elections will be announced, he said. “Our popularity has not diminished in the least….we want change through votes and we will keep up our struggle till the end.”
PP-196 candidate Rana Abdul Jabbar, Zain Qureshi, MNA Malik Amir Dogar, MPA Haji Javed Akhtar Ansari, PTI district president Aijaz Janjua, Mian Tariq Abdullah, Mian Jameel, Qurban Fatima and Nabila Butt were present at the press conference.
PPP cries rigging
Pakistan Peoples Party claimed on Friday that the by-poll in PP-196 had been massively rigged. At a press conference at the Multan Press Club on Friday, the PPP district president said the results of 103 polling stations out of 133 had been falsified. He said most polling stations had incomplete lists of voters.
The PPP leaders thanked party workers for their active canvassing and dedication to the party. “We accept the rigged results in the wider interest of democracy,” the PPP district president said.
PPP district general secretary Malik Arshad Mahey said the masses had rejected the PTI in the by-poll. “The PPP is committed to the masses and will continue its struggle to uphold people’s rights,” he said.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 23rd, 2015.
“We accept the by-poll result in PP-196 wholeheartedly… the democratic process is the real winner,” Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf vice chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi said in a press conference at his house on Friday.
He said the PTI had accepted the election result and congratulated Rana Mehmoodul Hasan on winning the election. He said they had accepted the result in the spirit of democracy.
“There is a difference between the results of general elections and by-polls. A lot of people show up to vote in general elections but not a lot of them bother in by-polls because they know that their votes will not be able to change the government...then there was the scorching weather.” He mentioned that the voter turnout had been 28 per cent.
He thanked the Election Commission for holding a free and fair election and said, “We have no complaints.”
The PTI leader said their struggle for free and fair elections had borne fruit. “We want to restore people’s faith in the electoral process and establish sanctity of the vote.” Whenever there are elections in India, people come out in droves to vote, he said.
He said that he was aware of the limitations and problems of the government machinery. “But I will not complain.”
Qureshi also thanked the regional and district party leaders. He said several clashes had been reported from some polling stations. “Several PTI women workers, including Qurban Fatima, were detained at polling stations…we have footage to prove it,” he said. Qureshi thanked PTI workers for staying level-headed and facing the situation bravely.
He said the government had failed its people in several ways. “The new electricity and gas tariff should be condemned far and wide.”
However, he said, the PTI still had hope. If the judicial commission to probe rigging found that the general elections had been rigged, the assemblies will be dissolved and fresh elections will be announced, he said. “Our popularity has not diminished in the least….we want change through votes and we will keep up our struggle till the end.”
PP-196 candidate Rana Abdul Jabbar, Zain Qureshi, MNA Malik Amir Dogar, MPA Haji Javed Akhtar Ansari, PTI district president Aijaz Janjua, Mian Tariq Abdullah, Mian Jameel, Qurban Fatima and Nabila Butt were present at the press conference.
PPP cries rigging
Pakistan Peoples Party claimed on Friday that the by-poll in PP-196 had been massively rigged. At a press conference at the Multan Press Club on Friday, the PPP district president said the results of 103 polling stations out of 133 had been falsified. He said most polling stations had incomplete lists of voters.
The PPP leaders thanked party workers for their active canvassing and dedication to the party. “We accept the rigged results in the wider interest of democracy,” the PPP district president said.
PPP district general secretary Malik Arshad Mahey said the masses had rejected the PTI in the by-poll. “The PPP is committed to the masses and will continue its struggle to uphold people’s rights,” he said.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 23rd, 2015.