- Hashmi says an election commission of Qureshi’s choice may be constituted in Multan to oversee by-poll if Qureshi fears rigging
- Qureshi hints at collusion between PML-N and Hashmi for by-polls in Multan as PTI boycotts by-polls in NA-149
Renegade president of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Javed Hashmi Monday challenged PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi to contest by-polls from Multan-III NA-150 constituency, following the party’s announcement that it had decided to boycott by-elections in NA-149 Multan-II, the seat vacated by Hashmi after he resigned from the National Assembly.
By-polls in the constituency are scheduled for October 16 and Hashmi – after tendering his resignation in the National Assembly (NA) had announced that he would contest the by-polls as an independent candidate.
Earlier on Monday, Qureshi hinted at a collusion between the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Hashmi for the by-polls in Multan.
“There is no official nomination by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) yet. PML-N should nominate someone and if the ballot paper does not have the party symbol then we can assume that backdoor negotiations have been taking place,” Qureshi alleged.
Responding to Hashmi’s earlier claims that he is still the PTI president, Qureshi said that Hashmi should join other PTI leaders on PTI’s container in Islamabad and ask PTI workers whether they recognise him as their president or not.
Speaking at a press conference in Multan, Hashmi responded to Qureshi’s statement saying, “Qureshi should resign from the NA and contest elections against me.”
“We can form an election commission of Qureshi’s choice in Multan to oversees by-polls if he fears rigging,” said the PTI president, even as he said that he never considered Qureshi as a rival.
“I will submit my papers for by-elections in NA-150 tomorrow,” Hashmi said.
‘KHAN, QADRI BEING USED’:
Alleging that the PTI chairman is being “used”, Hashmi said that Khan is a simple man but those with him are using him for their own means.
Terming the PTI chairman as his younger brother, Hashmi claimed that the nation will not forgive those who are “using” Khan.
“Even Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) Chairman Dr Tahirul Qadri is being used,” he added, while expressing concern over who will guide the youth and take the country forward.
HASHMI SUPPORTS ‘MOVING’ SIT-IN:
Hashmi said that staging sit-ins is Khan’s democratic right and extended support to the branching-out of PTI’s dharna to other major cities across Pakistan.
“Yesterday the dharna went to Karachi, tomorrow it will go to Lahore and then Multan,” said Hashmi.
“I support this way,” he said, adding that if Khan had adopted these ways, he would have walked besides the PTI chief.
PTI SUSPENDS HASHMI’S MEMEBERSHIP:
Meanwhile, the PTI has suspended Hashmi’s party membership and summoned him to the party secretariat on September 29 to explain his case.
