Politicians cry rigging, horse-trading in Senate polls

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Various political leaders have criticised the alleged irregularities in the Senate polls conducted on Thursday across the assemblies.

National Assembly Opposition Leader Syed Khursheed Shah said Thursday he was disappointed over the fact that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was abroad during crucial Senate elections in the country.

Talking to reporters, Shah said it was disappointing how the government issued an ordinance on election procedure for FATA seats in Senate without consulting the Opposition and other political parties. He said that all these issues have raised a question mark over the entire election process for the Senate.

“The only assembly where polling is progressing smoothly is the Sindh Assembly where we are in power,” Shah added.

ANP CRITICISES PTI, CEC:

In the meanwhile, Awami National Party (ANP) Senator Zahid Khan severely criticised the candidates of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Jammat-e-Islami (JI) for their involvement in “election rigging” in Senate elections in KP.

Talking to reporters outside the Parliament House, Khan said it was a “shameful occasion” for both PTI and JI as their candidates were allegedly caught red-handed getting ballot papers outside illegally.

The ANP leader said that the Senate elections in KP were forced to stop only because of the “shameful act” of PTI and JI candidates.

Taking a jibe at PTI, he said PTI chief was openly involved in horse-trading in KP and added that ANP also captured 90,000 votes of JI in Deer Bala.

Khan also claimed that even the new chief election commissioner (CEC) had failed to control horse-trading and election rigging. “The Election Commission is responsible for the whole ugly episode. It seems that presidential ordinance issued last night was aimed at rigging.”

MUSHAHIDULLAH DECRIES PARTY DISCIPLINE:

Moreover, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Mushahidullah Khan has admitted that eight of his party MPAs from Punjab voted for Nadeem Afzal Chan, rival candidate from Pakistan People’s Party (PPP).

Talking to reporters, he said the PPP candidate could only secure 20 votes, on behalf of the PPP and PML-Q coalition in Punjab for the polls, yet there were 28 votes polled in his favor.