The ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) on Wednesday decided to challenge the verdict of an election tribunal in the Supreme Court regarding holding re-election in Lahore’s NA-125 constituency.
Speaking at a press conference, Federal Minister Ahsan Iqbal questioned how his party managed to win the by-polls if the 2013 general elections were rigged. He said that the party leadership has decided to challenge the election tribunal’s verdict in the apex court of the country following consultations with the legal experts. “The entire election could be declared void if results from two to four bags disappear,” said the planning minister.
The press conference was interrupted by electricity outage on three occasions. “Our legal experts have thoroughly examined the ruling of the tribunal and decided to file an appeal in the apex court,” minister told a news conference. “If we don’t file an appeal, it will set a dangerous precedent for the future,” he explained.
He said Imran Khan wanted to sabotage the government’s economic agenda by staging the ‘rigging drama’. “Imran Khan is afraid of Chinese investment as he feels that if government succeeds, he will stand no chance in the next general elections,” Iqbal said.
Speaking on the occasion, Information Minister Pervaiz Rashid said despite Khawaja Saad Rafique’s aspiration of contesting the re-poll in NA-125, the party leadership has decided to challenge the tribunal.
He, however, said it was desire of Khawaja Saad Rafique to go the court of people. He was of the view that PML-N did well in the cantonment boards elections held recently and PTI faced defeat.
Rashid also said Khan had performed a “pre-planned drama” outside NADRA’s office. He said that Khan should apologise to the nation after refutation of the NADRA chairman. The minister said Khan should be ashamed of showing a false report in connection with NADRA, adding, the PTI chief was used to befooling people by showing such false papers.
The paper showed by Khan was not a verified report of NADRA, but a copy of inventory that was formed before the process of verification, he mentioned. He said the whole world had seen that Imran Khan had told a lie.
