PTI, PML-N leaders descend on Sialkot after by-poll controversy

SIALKOT: Government ministers and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders descended on Daska, Sialkot, on Sunday in the aftermath of a controversial by-election in the National Assembly’s constituency, NA-75, the legitimacy of which was called into question by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

A day earlier, unofficial and unconfirmed results for the constituency were withheld pending an inquiry by the electoral body after a number of election officers “disappeared” for several hours. During polling on Friday, two people were killed and several people were injured in clashes, which the PTI and the PML-N blamed on each other.

On the other hand, the PTI suffered a surprise setback in its Khyber Pakhtunkhwa stronghold, and lost its PK-63 seat in Nowshera to the Pakistan Democratic Movement’s (PDM) candidate. The PTI had won the seat in 2018.

During her visit to Daska on Sunday, PML-N vice president Maryam Nawaz took the opportunity to portray the PTI’s loss in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa — as well as its loss in PP-51 Wazirabad — to PML-N backed candidates as referendum “on those who declared an end to Nawaz Sharif’s politics”.

In a rally there, Maryam said because of the “chaos that the ruling PTI caused” at by-election on Friday, Nawaz Sharif’s narrative of respecting votes is once again echoing across Pakistan.” She praised the people of the city for proving they would “not bow down to those who stole votes”.

Maryam said the PTI “used every tactic under the sun to derail the election that day because the PML-N was winning and the ruling party felt threatened”. “The PTI knew that it was about to face humiliation in the NA-75 constituency, therefore, its workers not only created chaos in Daska but even went to Wazirabad and Nowshera to torture PML-N voters,” she said.

“However, the people of Pakistan know how to safeguard their votes. The party which steals votes [to come into power] should be ashamed of itself,” Maryam Nawaz said while taking a jibe at the ruling PTI.

“I salute the intellectual abilities of Imran Khan, who came to power through stolen votes,” she said. “His stupidity turned the Daska election into a country-wide election as people realised that the general elections of 2018 were also rigged.”

Maryam Nawaz said that the PTI “never had a narrative of its own,” adding that it was Nawaz Sharif’s narrative of giving respect to the vote which has once again become echoing across Pakistan. “All these people [of the PTI] cannot compete against Nawaz Sharf,” she concluded.

Hours later, federal and Punjab ministers appeared in Daska, where information minister Shibli Faraz said Prime Minister Imran Khan “is determined to eliminate the politics of money and vandalism from the country”, according to state-run Radio Pakistan.

Talking to media alongside with Science and Technology Minister Fawad Chaudhry, Punjab Chief Minister’s aide Firdous Awan and others, he said Khan’s narrative is “getting overwhelming acceptance from the people in by-elections”. The information minister said he came to Daska on the directions of Prime Minister Imran Khan to commiserate with deceased family of a PTI worker, who was killed on polling day “as a result of firing by PML-N supporters”.

He insisted the PTI won the by-election in Daska “with a clear majority”.

Chaudhry, meanwhile, demanded of the ECP to notify the success of the PTI candidate in the by-polls. “PTI is striving for free, fair and transparent elections by ending the politics of horse-trading and sale and purchase of votes,” he added, but stressed his party would accept ECP’s decision.

Special Assistant to the Punjab Chief Minister on Information Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan said rule of law will prevail in the murder case and culprits will get the punishment according to law after completion of inquiry.—News Desk/Agencies