Imran Khan first talked about role of money in Senate polls: Rana Sanaullah

KARACHI: Following Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Imran Khan’s petition to the election commission over Prime minister’s remarks about ‘horse trading’ in recent Senate elections, Punjab Law Minister, Rana Sanaullah turned the tables on the PTI chief saying that the election body should  question him the first over the allegations.

“Imran Khan in a press conference, commenting on Senate polls himself said that people sold themselves and the money changed hands. He had said that the entire assembly of Balochistan was sold,” Sanaullah said in a television interview.

“I think the PM should write to the ECP to call Imran Khan and ask him about what he said earlier over the issue, this is where the issue started from,” he further said.

When questioned about the Senate chairman controversy, the Minister claimed that “the chair was elected by those whose votes were bought…This exercise was handled by the unknown forces with no identity of their own, ” he elaborated.

Prior to the statement of Sanaullah, a stalwart of ruling PML-N, Imran Khan had filed a petition against Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi in the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) over his statement about the Senate elections.

Prime Minister in his statement claimed that ‘horse trading’ took place in recent Senate elections.He further stated that the votes have been sold in the election for the office of the Senate chairman.

The PM challenged the PTI chief Imran Khan and Pakistan People’s Party’s co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari to state on record that their party members were not bought.

“I challenge Imran and Zardari to appear on television and say that the votes of their MPAs were not bought,” he had said.

Imran in his petition to the ECP demanded that the Prime Minister should revoke his claim before the commission. He believes that the statement made by the PM about the “buying and selling” of votes is troublesome and dangerous.

“Such statements are not something the Prime Minister of a country should make on a whim.”