ISLAMABAD - The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) respects verdict of the election tribunal ordering re-polling in NA-122, however, it is biased and the party has reservations over the ruling, said Information Minister Senator Pervaiz Rashid yesterday.
He said law and the Constitution had given them right of appeal against the decision and the PML-N will challenge it in the Supreme Court.
Talking to mediamen after attending a reception held in the honour of PML-N workers and leaders who worked to win NA-19 Haripur bye-elections, he said the verdict was biased as the tribunal did not de-seat Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf member of the Punjab Assembly from a constituency falling under NA-122 while that of PML-N MPA had been de-seated.
“We will move the Supreme Court for justice, whose verdict will be acceptable to us,” he added. The minister said the tribunal in its verdict did not mention any malpractice on the part of Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, rather it specified some irregularities of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).
He said Ayaz or his voters could not be punished for the mistakes or malpractices of the ECP. The voters in NA-122, he added, used their right to franchise in a free, fair and transparent manner in May-2013 general elections.
Pervaiz said PTI chief Imran Khan who lost the polls had filed a petition against Ayaz’s election on alleged anomalies. Imran, he said, could not justify the sit-in on the basis of the tribunal’s decision on NA-122.
He said the PTI chief was not contented with Umer Ayub’s victory from NA-19 with a margin of only 750 votes, but now he had to be satisfied with the defeat of his party candidate by a margin of 47,000 votes in re-polls.
“The same story will be repeated if re-elections are held in the constituencies of Khawaja Saad Rafique and Ayaz Sadiq in Lahore,” he added. The minister said the PML-N was a democratic party and it had a tradition to absorb difference of opinion. But on the other hand, there was a dictatorship in the PTI. Imran’s stubborn attitude was the main reason behind party’s defeat in elections, he added.
He said Imran had restricted his party leaders from issuing statements. Justice (r) Wajihuddin, who was the most respected person in the country, was issued a show-cause notice by Imran, he maintained.
He said the PML-N leadership respected party workers. That was why they put in extra efforts and won the difficult election of NA-19 with a thumping majority. The party, he added, would win the 2018 general elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with the same spirit.