PTI to support Senate chairman candidate from Balochistan: Sarwar

• Says party will not vote for PPP, PML-N candidate

• PTI announces minority wing office-bearers for central Punjab

LAHORE: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader and Senator Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar on Saturday said that the party would support the Senate chairman candidate nominated from Balochistan and deputy chairman from FATA.

Speaking to the media after appearing before the Supreme Court’s Lahore Registry in the dual nationality case, he said Balochistan was an underdeveloped province and had gained importance after the announcement of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), therefore, the PTI had taken a principled stance that the Senate chairman must be from Balochistan and the deputy chairman from FATA.

“The decision to not vote for the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) is final,” he added.

He also said that the PML-N spoke of democracy, but its attacks on national institutions reflected its true mentality and agenda against democracy. He added that the PTI believed in the rule of law, the constitution and democracy.

“The people who are conspiring against the institutions are enemies of the nation and democracy,” said Sarwar.

He said that he had relinquished his British nationality in 2013 and the propaganda regarding the resumption of nationality had “nothing to do with reality”.

“I live in Pakistan and also submitted a written declaration in the Supreme Court that I have renounced my British nationality on a permanent basis,” he said.

He also said that the “propaganda” claiming that he applied for British nationality after leaving the office of the Punjab governor was nothing but a lie as all he had was a Pakistani passport.

“I would never get any other nationality than that of Pakistan,” said the Senator.

Earlier, the PTI announced its minority wing office bearers for central Punjab.

The announcement was made by PTI central Punjab president and MPA Shunila Ruth at a ceremony held at the party’s chairman secretariat in Garden Town.

According to the notification, Malik Tariq Javed, Waseem Arshad Bhatti, John Mehboob, Iqbal Nazir were notified as senior vice presidents while Samar Nazir, Rokus  Yaqoob, Arslan William, Nadeem Shakir Khokhar were appointed vice presidents. Azhar Adil was appointed as the secretary general.

MPA Shunila congratulated the newly-elected office bearers and hoped that they would work diligently for the party.