Charges of horse-trading: PTI wants Zardari, Rana and others arrested

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Wednesday demanded the arrest of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah, and Punjab Home Minister Atta Tarar for allegedly offering money to PTI MPAs in order to get Hamza Shehbaz elected as chief minister of Punjab on July 22.

Speaking at a presser, PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry said that the trio are openly offering money to PTI MPAs which is illegal and they should immediately be arrested. He alleged that a party MPA from Rahim Yar Khan, Masood Majeed, had fled to Turkey after being bribed with Rs 400 million.

“Zardari managed to send MPA Masood Majeed to Turkey after paying Rs400 million to him. Zardari is using Sindh government’s resources for horse trading,” he alleged.

Chaudhry said that three more MPAs had submitted their affidavits to the apex court, explaining how they were offered bribes.

He also accused PML-N leader Attaullah Tarar of being involved in the alleged attempt to bribe PTI MPAs, adding Tarar is also trying to buy the loyalty of three PTI MPAs, Sardar Shahabuddin, Amir Inayat, and Ghazanfar Abbas Cheena, were offered Rs250 to Rs300 million, each.

“We don’t know how many MPAs have been approached. No person who is involved in such tactics will ever be forgiven by people. This habit of sticking to power should now end,” he declared.

He said that the menace of horse trading has been started ahead of Punjab chief minister elections on July 22 and this must be stopped as it is an insult to the mandate of the people.

He said that the people of Punjab showed their confidence in Imran Khan to rule them and the party has 188 votes in the Punjab Assembly.

He said that Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah had also hinted at creating hurdles for the PTI to form its government in Punjab after having the majority of PA seats, followed by other PML-N leaders including the Information Minister, Marriyum Aurangzeb.

“The political rivals asked our MPAs to go abroad and they also booked hotels for them. Democracy cannot be strengthened in this way. We are going to the Supreme Court on Thursday (today) which is the only institution to ensure transparency,” he added.

He expressed hopes that the PTI’s seats in Punjab will increase from 15 to 17 as the court ordered the recounting of votes in Rawalpindi and Muzaffargarh constituencies. He reiterated that the PTI has completed its number game to elect Pervaiz Elahi as the Punjab CM.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022