Daily Times

KARACHI: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan admitted on Monday that some of the party lawmakers have been involved in horse-trading in the recent Senate elections.

Talking to journalists in Karachi, the PTI chief, however, said that he was not sure who exactly took money to change loyalties during the Senate polls and demanded an inquiry to find out who had been involved in horse-trading.

“A price of Rs 40 million was set to buy the conscience of each MPA,” the PTI chairman alleged, adding that whatever happened in relation with the Senate polls was against the spirit of democracy. Terming the reports of horse-trading ‘disappointing’, he said a committee had been constituted to probe the matter.

The PTI chief also urged the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to launch investigation into horse-trading during the Senate polls. “The chief justice of Pakistan should take notice of the use of money in the Senate elections,” he suggested. Imran assured the Karachi business community that his party will bring a new system in Karachi by directly electing a mayor who would be fully authorised to run the affairs of the city. He said Sindh police will be made apolitical and infrastructure of the city will be improved to restore its identity as the ‘city of lights’.

Published in Daily Times, March 6^th 2018.