NA-122 elections: Chaudhry Sarwar tells PML-N to accept tribunal’s ruling

Former governor says the tribunal’s ruling has further lowered the ruling party’s credibility

LAHORE: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf Punjab Organiser Chaudhary Muhammad Sarwar has urged the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz to accept the Election Tribunal’s verdict on NA-122 election and not to challenge it before the Supreme Court of Pakistan.

He was speaking at his office on Sunday about the tribunal’s decision in PTI chief Imran Khan’s petition against the election of PML-N’s Sardar Ayaz Sadiq from NA-122. On Saturday, the election tribunal consisting of Judge Kazim Ali Malik had declared Sadiq’s election void and ordered a re-election in NA-122 and PP-147.

Sarwar said the tribunal’s decision had further lowered the PML-N government’s credibility.



He said the PTI had been demanding justice for its voters for over a year now and the tribunal’s verdict had vindicated the party’s position on rigging in 2013 elections.

Sarwar also reiterated PTI chief Imran Khan’s demand that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) take action against its officials responsible for rigging in the 2013 elections. He said this was necessary to pave the way for free and fair local government elections in the province.

Sarwar said the PTI had already expressed its lack of confidence in the provincial bureaucracy of the election commission. He said the party believed that there could be no guarantee of a transparent election under the current administration.

He warned that if PTI’s demands were not met, the party would call a sit-in in front of the ECP head office in Islamabad. He said no one could stop the party from exercising its constitutional right to assembly.

Sarwar said last year’s sit-in by his party in Islamabad had raised awareness among the people about their democratic rights including the sanctity of their vote.  “The PTI chief is demanding transparency in elections to strengthen democracy in the country,” he said.

In a statement issued on Sunday, Aleem Khan, political adviser to PTI chief Imran Khan, demanded that investigation into rigging allegations regarding the 2013 elections should be expanded and PML-N leaders’ role investigated.

Earlier, PTI chief Imran Khan issued a statement thanking the party’s Lahore chapter for its commitment in pursuing the NA-122 case before the election tribunal.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 24^th, 2015.