Two members of the provincial assembly from ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) have disclosed that they are not going to vote for their party’s candidates, alleging that “candidates have bought tickets and they were not able”.
As per video statement PTI’s legislator Karim Bux Gabol from PS-100 Karachi East claimed that his party has given Senate tickets to candidates in exchange of money, adding that the Constitution of the country allows him to vote for any candidate.
He said that he cannot support such candidates who have “purchased” a ticket, talking about PTI’s working he criticised for failing to deliver as per the people’s expectations, adding that Sindh was being dealt “step-motherly treatment” by the federal government.
Earlier; Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) have claimed to be in touch with the ruling party’s legislators.
According to sources in the PPP that several other MPAs belonging to PTI and its coalition partners in Sindh and Punjab are ready to give their votes to candidates of Pakistan Democratic Alliance (PDM) aiming to oust the government of Imran Khan.
“PDM parties are busy in the purchase and sale of the assembly members in Sindh and other provinces. We will take legal action against those who are found guilty in floor crossing,” PTI leader Khurrum Sher Zaman said.
He said that his government has approached the apex court to prevent corruption and bribery practices. “We are consulting with leadership and legal team and action will be taken against those lawmakers who change party loyalty,” he stated
Asking about Kareem Bux Gabol’s video statement PTI leader alleged that PPP has threatened many MPAs of his party by registering cases against them to change the loyalty. “Kareem Bux Gabol is among those who have succumbed to PPP pressure. We know where he is,” he added.
Zaman said that two other MPAs of PTI have also “gone missing” before the Senate election. “We can’t trace them. We know very well that the PPP government is involved in it,” he remarked.
Soon after Zaman’s presser, Shahar Yar Khan Shar MPA from PS-18 Ghotki-I, denied PTI leader’s claims, disclosing that no one had abducted him and he was present at his residence.
“I just came to know that Khurram Sher Zaman, saying three of our MPAs have been abducted. Who is going to abduct us? And Why?” he asked via video statement.
Like Gabol, he also announced that he will not vote for PTI’s candidates during Senate elections. “No one listened to us… we were not even called to consult over the Senate tickets,” he disclosed
The PTI MPA said that tickets were “distributed behind closed doors at the Governor’s House” and MPAs from the province were not taken into confidence. “I am not going to vote for them (PTI’s candidates) and that is my right as a Pakistani and Sindhi.”
Shar said that hundreds of thousands of people voted for PTI in Sindh but the party has disappointed them. “I have met Prime Minister Imran Khan several times even during the meeting at the Governor’s House. Infact PTI does not have any development plan for Sindh,” he stated
Political pundits say that many PTI lawmakers are unsatisfied with the performance of the federal government, therefore, they may
vote for the candidates of the opposition parties.
The actual contest is between PDM’s Yousaf Raza Gillani and PTI’s Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh on Islamabad seat. There could be a surprise on March 3 on election day.