PTI Calls For Nationwide Protest After Setback in Punjab CM Poll

Former Prime Minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman, Imran Khan, on Friday called for a fresh nationwide protest against the coalition government after Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) candidate Hamza Shehbaz retained his post as Chief Minister of Punjab by securing majority votes in the Provincial Assembly after votes of Pakistan Muslim League – Quaid (PML-Q) were rejected by Deputy Speaker, Dost Mohammad Mazari.

During his address to the PTI supporters on Friday, Imran Khan said that Former President and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) co-chairman, Asif Ali Zardari, has always used plundered money to buy democracy in every election. “We knew since yesterday that Asif Ali Zardari was playing some game in Lahore and using money to buy the loyalties of the lawmakers,” said Imran Khan.

Earlier, Deputy Speaker, Dost Mohammad Mazari, had declared Hamza Shehbaz, who bagged 179 votes, as victorious in the election of Punjab Chief Minister even though Chaudhry Pervez Elahi, the joint candidate of PTI and PML-Q, had received 186 votes.

The Deputy Speaker of the Punjab Assembly, Dost Mohammad Mazari, rejected the votes cast by PML-Q citing a letter from the party head, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, who barred his party’s Provincial Assembly Members (MPAs) from voting for the PTI candidate.

Imran Khan, while calling PTI supporters to hold peaceful nationwide protests, said that PML-Q’s President, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, had no authority to issue such instructions to his party members, saying that as per the law, it was the decision of the party’s parliamentary head.

“This ‘shameless speaker’ [Dost Mohammad Mazari] rejected the votes of PML-Q… they are making a mockery of the democracy because their billions of rupees are at stake.” he said while addressing his supporters and calling for a fresh protest nationwide.

“It’s been clearly mentioned in Article 63-A that parliamentary head has the authority to issue directions to the party members.” he said, adding that PML-Q lawmakers voted in line with the instructions issued by the party’s parliamentary head. “It’s been clearly mentioned in Article 63-A that parliamentary head has the authority to issue directions to the party members.”

Imran Khan also expressed fear over the country’s economic crisis, saying that it is expected to increase due to what happened and people should hold peaceful protests.

Read more: Hamza Shehbaz Re-Elected As Punjab CM.

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