Senate elections 2018: Imran not to cast vote, opposition alleges rigging in PA

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  • Marriyum Aurangzeb says will clean sweep Senate elections

  • Election postponement rumours laid to rest: Khursheed Shah

LAHORE: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Shafqat Mehmood has confirmed that his party’s chairperson Imran Khan will not cast vote in the Senate elections.

While talking to the media outside the National Assembly, Shafqat Mehmood said Imran would not be going to the Parliament to cast his vote as he had other commitments.

Meanwhile, PTI Member Provincial Assembly (MNA) Shoaib Siddiqui accused the Punjab government of rigging in Senate elections. He alleged that members of the ruling party led by Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah stormed the polling booth and that ballot papers were being snuck out after casting empty votes in the ballot boxes.

“Election result should be declared null and void if empty slips are recovered from ballot boxes,” he demanded. The PTI member said he has also registered a protest with the presiding officer.

On the other hand, another PTI leader Raja Riaz asked for the vote in Senate polls from Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah.

According to details, Raja Riaz stopped Rana Sanaullah in Punjab Assembly when he was about to cast the first vote and asked him to give his vote to PTI.

In a response, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader smiled and left the place after the brief meeting.

WILL BECOME PTI’S FIRST SENATOR FROM PUNJAB: CH SARWAR

PTI leader Chaudhry Mohammad Sarwar said that he will become his party’s first senator from Punjab.

Speaking to media outside the Punjab Assembly regarding PTI’s Senate election campaign, he stated, “Everything is fair in love and war. This is our election campaign and we have also asked the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) members to give votes to a person who has an international stature and is capable to deal with internal and external challenges faced by the country.”

MARRIYUM HOPEFUL FOR A SENATE CLEAN SWEEP

State Minister for Information Marriyum Aurangzeb said that opposition parties will not get a single seat in Senate.

Talking to media in Islamabad, Marriyum Aurangzeb said people always welcome ex-prime minister Nawaz Sharif wherever he goes as he has done a lot for the general masses. She said that an elected PM was removed on the basis of Iqama. No evidence was found against Nawaz Sharif, she added.

The minister said that PML-N will emerge as the winner in today’s polls.

ASSEMBLIES WILL COMPLETE TERM: KHURSHEED SHAH

Opposition Leader in National Assembly (NA) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) member Khursheed Shah has said that the assemblies will complete their tenure and that the rumours about the postponement of elections will cease to exist after today’s Senate polls.

Meanwhile, PPP’s Sharjeel Memon said that his party has nominated hard working candidates for Senate elections, adding that National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB) law in Punjab is different from other provinces.

He said that he will not criticize judiciary like ex-prime minister Nawaz Sharif and Chief Minister of Punjab (CM) Shehbaz Sharif.

Former CM Sindh Qaim Ali Shah said democracy ensures freedom of every individual, continuing that the members will cast vote as per their wish.

PML-N, PML-F, MQM-P STRIKE DEAL: ARBAB

PML-N Sindh leader Arbab Ghulam Rahim stated that the ruling party, Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) and PML-F would be supporting each other in the Senate elections.

Talking to press, the former chief minister claimed that a deal has been struck between the ruling party and the major opposition parties in Sindh.

He said the ruling party MPAs in Sindh Assembly would be supporting the candidates of PML-F for general seats and MQM-P for technocrat seats of the Senate and that “unwritten pacts” have been made among the opposition parties.

Similarly, Special Assistant to Prime Minister Dr Musadik Malik stated that masses have a deep affection for Nawaz Sharif and said that PML-N would bag 12 Senate seats from Punjab.

He said that PML-N believed in serving people and would continue its efforts for bringing prosperity and development in the country.

On the other hand, MNA Tahir Iqbal from Vehari who was formerly associated with PML-N refused to cast his vote in the Senate elections. He stated that he cannot vote for those who were involved in the finality of the prophethood clause.

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