PML-N decides to take oath despite serious reservations

• Members to wear black ribbons during oath-taking ceremony

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) on Sunday announced that its newly elected member will take oath in the National Assembly despite serious reservations over the results of the elections amid rigging allegations.

The decision was taken at party’s central executive committee (CEC) headed by PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif in Lahore. The newly elected Members of National Assembly (MNA) will to wear black ribbons at the time of oath-taking in the parliament as a sign of protest against the alleged rigging in July 25 elections, a statement said.

The party leadership said that every available forum would be used to register the protest against alleged rigging, adding that no forward blocks in the parliament would be formed. The CEC also decided to take the parties into confidence that took part in the all parties conference (APC) which was held on Saturday.

Shehbaz Sharif said that his party has emerged as the biggest political party in Punjab in the general elections. He congratulated all those who contested the general elections.

“I want to congratulate those of you who lost or were made to lose because you have survived a dangerous storm,” he said. “The credit goes to Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz who went to jail with great bravery,” he added.

The newly-elected MNAs of the party were also present during the meeting.

Earlier, in a meeting with Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leadership, PML-N leader and National Assembly (NA) former speaker Ayaz Sadiq had opined, “It is clear that we have rejected the results of these polls but we cannot leave the platform of the parliament.”

Babar had added that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) was helpless in reigning in their election staff. “The ECP chief must step down after this quagmire of an election,” he added.

“We have also decided how to proceed in the future and we won’t let go of the platform of the parliament to engage in structured discourse,” he had said.

The PPP leader maintained that both parties would also take on board the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA).

“After this, we will have a final meeting where we will share with you [the media] our plan,” he said.

“Our party has nothing to do with forming a coalition government in Punjab, all we want to do is be a part of a robust opposition,” PPP leaders said.

A wide variety of options including forming the government, boycotting parliament, as well as, not taking the oath of office were all discussed in the meeting between the leaders of both the parties.