CM Punjab election: Imran Khan calls for peaceful protests tonight

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman and former prime minister Imran Khan has called for peaceful protests tonight against the outcomes of the Chief Minister (CM) Punjab election, ARY News reported on Friday.

Imran Khan said in his public address following the CM Punjab election that he was surprised by the happenings in the Punjab Assembly today. “Everyone is now looking to the Supreme Court (SC).”

Khan said that he has always prayed for the strengthening of democracy in Pakistan. He added that moral values possess importance in democracy but everyone has witnessed the auction of politicians.

READ: HAMZA SHEHBAZ RE-ELECTED PUNJAB CM AFTER PML-Q’S VOTES REJECTED

He criticised that strict action would be taken against the horse trading of lawmakers in any other society. “I want to appeal to the nation to record their peaceful protest against the Punjab Assembly developments tonight.”

Hamza Shahbaz’s re-election as Punjab CM

Earlier, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Hamza Shahbaz has been reelected as the chief minister (CM) of Punjab after the votes of Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) were rejected by the Punjab Assembly Deputy Speaker.

Pervaiz Elahi – joint candidate of PTI and PML-Q – received 186 votes, while Hamza Shahbaz got 179 votes. However. 10 votes of PML-Q were cancelled by Deputy Speaker Dost Muhammad Mazari, hence taking the figure to 176.

‘No action taken against horse trading’

The PTI chief said that no action was taken against the horse trading of lawmakers during the last Senate polls despite the footage of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Yousaf Raza Gillani’s son had surfaced.

“We have defeated the state machinery, all political parties and the corrupt election commission. When this CM Punjab election was underway, Asif Ali Zardari was present in the province. I was fully aware of the trade of consciences by Zardari by using the stolen public funds.”

“These people are mafias, not politicians. I am surprised after witnessing what happened in the Punjab Assembly today despite the clear direction of Article 63A which defines the enforcement of the parliamentary party’s decision. PTI had also sent the letter against the 25 turncoats through the parliamentary leader.”

Imran Khan censured that he does not know the eligibility of the Punjab Assembly’s deputy speaker as his letter was rejected by the parliament but Dost Mazari used a letter in the favour of Hamza Shahbaz.

Khan said that PTI remained peaceful despite the illegal use of power by the government on May 25. He added that PTI ran a successful election campaign during Punjab by-polls and the nation voted for the political party.

The PTI chief said that the nation was angry after the imposition of corrupt rulers, back-to-back crises and destruction of the national economy.

Imran Khan appealed to the nation for lodging peaceful protest against the CM Punjab elections.