Summary Qureshi termed the step taken by Election Commission and government as a joint conspiracy.
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News)—Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) vice-chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi expressed his concern over the proposed delay of the by-polls in NA-149 constituency of Multan on Monday, Dunya News reported. He suggested people in Multan to come out in the streets to protest against the step taken by the government and Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).
In one of his statements, Qureshi said that the ECP and government together have planned to postpone the elections in NA 149 constituency of Multan. He termed the step taken by Election Commission and goevrnment as a joint conspiracy. He said that government’s plea to postpone the elections is suggestive of government’s intended electoral rigging against which PTI has been raising its voice.
Shah Mehmood Qureshi refused to accept the delay in the by-elections, saying that PTI will react strongly by protesting against any such action.
Earlier, ECP rejected Punjab government s plea to delay by-polls in constituency NA-149 today and said the elections would be conducted on the set date that is November 16.
Punjab government had requested ECP to delay by-polls in constituency NA-149 of Multan as the situation is not conducive.
According to the sources, Punjab government stated the law and order situation may disrupt during the by-elections in NA-149 in the wake of Multan tragedy that took 7 lives in a stampede later to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s Multan rally; the by-polls should therefore, be delayed for a few days.
The provincial election commission has opposed Punjab government’s request stating the by-elections should not be delayed but the final verdict resides with ECP.
ECP, however, accepted the request to deploy Rangers at the election sites.
