Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan on Wednesday threatened that he would dissolve Khyber Pakhtunkhwa legislative assembly if his party MPAs violated the party line in the Senate elections. "We would go to any extent, including dissolving KP legislative assembly, if it is proved that provincial lawmakers affiliated with PTI acted in defiance of party's decision in the Senate polls.
Khan made these remarks at a news conference after he held a meeting with his party MPAs here. In this regard, he said the party co-committee will convene on Thursday (today) soon after Senate elections to decide the future course of action or strategy.
The PTI chief said buying and selling of votes, has defamed democracy, particularly politicians. He vowed that they would go to any extent to stop horse-trading in today's Senate elections. Khan lamented that PPP had awarded tickets to three candidates despite the fact that it has only five members in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. JUI-F, on the other hand, has fielded two candidates although it has 17 members. "One candidate needs to have 17 votes to secure the membership of Senate," he said. He said that opposition parties in Balochistan were also complaining about a high incidence of horse-trading.
Flanked by PTI Central vice chairman, Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Central general secretary Jahangir Tareen, Chief Minister Pervez Khattak, JI ameer, Siraj-ul-Haq, MPAs, ministers and others, PTI chief accused the party leaders for minting money in Senate elections. He asked the Election Commission that "Is this democracy? Why doesn't the Election Commissioner take notice of selling and buying of votes? The way election is being contested cannot be described as democracy," added Khan. "We have awarded tickets on merit and all of our members are from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. If any of our members was found casting vote to any other party or member, he will be expelled from the party. Our members will only vote for their own candidates or the allied parties."
To a question about awarding ticket to Awami Jahmoor Ittehad member, Liaqat Khan Tarkai, Khan said he delivered and shown achievements, while he is member of PTI alliance. Therefore, he said, the party awarded him ticket.
The PTI chief said that Nawaz Sharif had introduced the politics of horse-trading in the country. He urged the nation to rise against the practice. "Our members will not vote to status quo parties in the Senate elections. We want free, fair and transparent elections," Khan said. He reminded he held a three-month-long sit-in in federal capital against alleged rigging in the 2013 general elections. He suggested the Senate elections should be held directly or openly to ensure transparency and fairness in the electoral exercise.
Replying to a question, Khan said he would not reveal the name of a person who offered him a Rs 150 million donation for Shaukat Khanum Memorial Hospital (SKMH) in return for a Senate seat. "He is not a bad man. He made the offer because he knew that this is the norm in the country's politics," he explained. Regarding the proposed 22nd constitutional amendments, the PTI chief said his party has strongly supported the proposal to ensure transparency in the Senate elections. He said he sees fresh elections in 2015.
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