MULTAN: Senior politician Makhdoom Javed Hashmi Friday warned the political leadership, including Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) supremo Asif Ali Zardari and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan, that the future looks bleak after the introduction of the tradition of ‘vote snatching’ in the country. Warning Zardari and Imran that they will be the next target of political victimisation, Hashmi, while addressing a press conference at the Multan Press Club, shed light on the ‘vulgar practices’ in the recently held Senate elections whereby PPP and Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) senators polled their votes for an independent candidate ‘by force’ instead of democratically. “I plead to the chief of army staff (COAS), Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), chief justice of Pakistan (CJP), Nawaz Sharif, Asif Ali Zardari and Sirajul Haq to please save the constitution. Do not give an opportunity to anyone to break the country,” he said. Hashmi predicted neither Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi nor opposition leader Khursheed Shah would have any say in the formation of the caretaker government ahead of the upcoming general elections. Instead, he said, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) would intervene into the formation of the caretaker government. The Supreme Court (SC) of Pakistan would, however, form the caretaker setup, he warned. He further predicted that the caretaker setup would postpone the next general elections for an indefinite period. Stating the Supreme Court had repeatedly violated the constitution in the 70 years history of the country, Hashmi requested the CJP to protect the constitution. “If I am committing the contempt of court, I should be called to appear before the honourable court to explain myself,” he said. Hashmi stated that Zardari would be the ‘prime target’ of political victimisation soon after the formation of the caretaker government, while nothing would be in the hands of Imran Khan. “He will just pay thanks on clearance of his Bani Gala house,” he said. Hashmi said that Nawaz and his daughter will be in jail once the caretaker government is in place. Published in Daily Times, March 17th 2018.