NA-122 by-elections: Dozens of ulema pledge support for PTI

Sarwar says premature to comment on whether party will accept election results

LAHORE: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) provincial organiser Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar said on Friday that the party was not in a position to issue a “blank cheque” regarding whether it would accept the results of the forthcoming by-polls in NA-122. 

The former governor made the remarks at a press conference where over 50 ulema pledged their support for PTI candidates in the by-elections scheduled for Sunday. Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (Nazriyati) central president Mufti Muhammad Asif Naumani, Sharif-ul-Qadri, Qari Muhammad Akram, Mufti Muhammad Irfan Naeemi and over 50 ulema met Sarwar and PTI Punjab deputy organiser Umer Sarfraz Cheema at the chairman’s secretariat. During the meeting, they vowed to support PTI candidates in NA-122 and PP-147.



Sarwar said the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) was planning to rig the by-polls just as it had rigged the 2013 general elections. He said the PTI had complete confidence in the military. Sarwar said its presence would deter those planning to rig the by-polls. He said the PML-N would not desist from leaving no stone unturned to rig the by-polls despite this.

The former governor said the PTI would accept results if the by-polls were conducted in a free and fair manner. He said the federal information minister together with other federal and provincial ministers had been levelling false allegations against PTI chairman Imran Khan. He said he had resigned himself and joined the party only due to Khan’s patriotism and integrity.

Sarwar said the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP’s) code of conduct must be implemented to ensure that free and fair elections were conducted. He said the PTI would also support any legislation in this regard. “Currently, the law of the jungle prevails across the nation,” he bemoaned. Sarwar said the PML-N would not desist from indulging in electoral malpractice. He said the party had killed two PTI men. Sarwar said the PML-N had also been harassing other PTI workers including women. The former governor said the party would not be intimidated by such tactics. He said the PTI was contesting the by-polls to defeat the nation’s corrupt rulers.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 10^th, 2015.