PML-N decides to contest by-polls on vacant seats
Pervez Rashid vows to teach PTI chief a lesson in upcoming elections
PHOTO: EXPRESS/FILE
ISLAMABAD:
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) announced on Thursday its decision to face the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) by contesting by-polls on vacant National Assembly seats of NA-122, NA-154 and NA-125.
“The PML-N will contest by-elections on the vacant seats and will defeat the PTI with an even bigger margin,” Information Minister Pervez Rashid said, while speaking to media representatives after a high-level consultative chaired by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in Islamabad.
Read: PML-N loses 3rd wicket as re-poll ordered in NA-154
Rashid criticised the PTI chairman over his alleged politics of agitation and vowed to “teach him a lesson” in the upcoming by-polls and local body elections.
“Imran Khan cannot face the people and this is why he is making excuses to escape the re-elections in NA-122,” the minister claimed.
Further, Rashid suggested Imran to contest re-polls instead of hiding behind the allegations against the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) “This is the same election commission under which Imran won many seats but now he is trying to run away.”
The information minister claimed that the dharna movement badly damaged the image of the PTI as the party lost badly against the PML-N in the LG polls.
Rashid pointed out that his party defeated PTI in Haripur with more than 47,000 votes. “We will once again go to the people and will win their confidence as per the tradition of the party,” he said.
Meanwhile, the information minister also accused former dictator General (retd) Pervez Musharraf of clearing way for the PTI in 2002 general elections.
“PML-N leaders Nawaz Sharif, Shahbaz Sharif and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Benazir Bhutto had been forcefully sent abroad yet Imran failed to win the elections.”
“Ayaz Sadiq’s lawyer Khawaja Haris is on a foreign trip and he will go to the Supreme Court (SC) for correction of record upon his arrival,” Rashid said in response on a question.
Read: NA-122 rigging allegations: Tribunal terms Ayaz Sadiq's election null and void
Further, he said Muhammad Siddique Khan will also go the SC for restoration of his candidature but no one will seek any stay order from the court.
Earlier today, PM Nawaz chaired a high-level consultative meeting to devise a strategy on the forthcoming by-polls and local government elections in Punjab following the de-seating of the PML-N parliamentarians, according to the PM House. The premier, who is also the PML-N president, sought the party's opinion to contest by-polls on vacant seats, NA-122, NA-154 and NA-125, or to move the apex court for an appeal.
Further, Railways Minister Khwaja Saad Rafique who had earlier sought a stay order from the Supreme Court against the election tribunal's decision was advised to withdraw his petition from court and to contest for the seat again.
Sources said a majority of PML-N leaders had asked the premier to re-elect Sadiq as custodian of the house instead of choosing someone else as the speaker. Sadiq's re-election from NA-122 would at least take three months and the party suggested that the deputy speaker be allowed to handle responsibilities until then, the source said.
PML-N chairman Raja Zafarul Haq, federal ministers, ministers of state and Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif were among those present during the meeting.
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) announced on Thursday its decision to face the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) by contesting by-polls on vacant National Assembly seats of NA-122, NA-154 and NA-125.
“The PML-N will contest by-elections on the vacant seats and will defeat the PTI with an even bigger margin,” Information Minister Pervez Rashid said, while speaking to media representatives after a high-level consultative chaired by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in Islamabad.
Read: PML-N loses 3rd wicket as re-poll ordered in NA-154
Rashid criticised the PTI chairman over his alleged politics of agitation and vowed to “teach him a lesson” in the upcoming by-polls and local body elections.
“Imran Khan cannot face the people and this is why he is making excuses to escape the re-elections in NA-122,” the minister claimed.
Further, Rashid suggested Imran to contest re-polls instead of hiding behind the allegations against the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) “This is the same election commission under which Imran won many seats but now he is trying to run away.”
The information minister claimed that the dharna movement badly damaged the image of the PTI as the party lost badly against the PML-N in the LG polls.
Rashid pointed out that his party defeated PTI in Haripur with more than 47,000 votes. “We will once again go to the people and will win their confidence as per the tradition of the party,” he said.
Meanwhile, the information minister also accused former dictator General (retd) Pervez Musharraf of clearing way for the PTI in 2002 general elections.
“PML-N leaders Nawaz Sharif, Shahbaz Sharif and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Benazir Bhutto had been forcefully sent abroad yet Imran failed to win the elections.”
“Ayaz Sadiq’s lawyer Khawaja Haris is on a foreign trip and he will go to the Supreme Court (SC) for correction of record upon his arrival,” Rashid said in response on a question.
Read: NA-122 rigging allegations: Tribunal terms Ayaz Sadiq's election null and void
Further, he said Muhammad Siddique Khan will also go the SC for restoration of his candidature but no one will seek any stay order from the court.
Earlier today, PM Nawaz chaired a high-level consultative meeting to devise a strategy on the forthcoming by-polls and local government elections in Punjab following the de-seating of the PML-N parliamentarians, according to the PM House. The premier, who is also the PML-N president, sought the party's opinion to contest by-polls on vacant seats, NA-122, NA-154 and NA-125, or to move the apex court for an appeal.
Further, Railways Minister Khwaja Saad Rafique who had earlier sought a stay order from the Supreme Court against the election tribunal's decision was advised to withdraw his petition from court and to contest for the seat again.
Sources said a majority of PML-N leaders had asked the premier to re-elect Sadiq as custodian of the house instead of choosing someone else as the speaker. Sadiq's re-election from NA-122 would at least take three months and the party suggested that the deputy speaker be allowed to handle responsibilities until then, the source said.
PML-N chairman Raja Zafarul Haq, federal ministers, ministers of state and Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif were among those present during the meeting.