Senior PTI leader Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Sunday announced that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf has decided to contest by-polls to 20 seats in the Punjab Assembly.
The Election Commission of Pakistan last month Told Bypolls will be held on July 17 for 20 vacant seats.
Speaking to the media in Islamabad, Qureshi expressed apprehension that the Punjab government would use its resources to influence the by-polls.
“The ECP has a huge responsibility here and if they fail to ensure transparency in the elections, a big question mark will be raised on the general election,” the PTI leader said.
He said that PTI president Imran Khan will meet tomorrow at 1 pm to discuss ticket allocation.
The former foreign minister said his party has also decided that none of its MNAs will appear before the Speaker of the National Assembly, who yesterday called some PTI members to confirm their resignations.
Qureshi said his resignation had already been approved and notified by the then president Qasim Khan Suri. Therefore, there is no need to appear again before Speaker Raja Pervez Ashraf.
‘Strong reaction’ to Imran’s arrest
Qureshi said that Home Minister Rana Sanaullah had expressed his intention to arrest the leader of the country’s most popular party, adding that there could be no bigger political mistake than this.
He warned of a strong reaction to any such action by the government.
He told the public, “If you get any report through social media or other media that this imported government has taken any such step, you have to give your response immediately.”
He also called upon the government to raise the prices of petrol and food items beyond the purchasing power of the people.
He also questioned Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s “silence” on the government’s talks with the TTP and said the PTI government was reprimanded by the opposition for such an approach.
The PTI leader also said that the party would register a case against the police officers who assaulted and tortured PTI workers on May 25.
He said that women MPs will also protest against the government in Islamabad or Rawalpindi.
Qureshi said that the party would also mobilize Pakistanis living abroad for protests in their cities. “We are also preparing content and foreign Pakistanis will share it with elected representatives abroad because no civilized society allows such interference.”
PTI will challenge the delimitation
The PTI leader said the party has also decided in principle to challenge the new delimitation by the ECP, in which the addresses of voters were changed without any reason.
He asked the public and party representatives to check their data by sending a text message to 8300 and in case of change in constituency, it should be reported to the party and ECP for rectification.