Rashid terms ET verdict 'biased'

Minister for Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage Pervaiz Rashid on Sunday said that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) respected the verdict of election tribunal ordering re-polling in NA-122 but had reservations.
Talking to media after attending a reception held in honour of PML-N workers and leaders who worked tirelessly to win NA-19 Haripur by-elections, he said the verdict was biased as the tribunal did not de-seat Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's (PTI) member of the Punjab Assembly from a constituency falling under NA-122 while that of PML-N MPA had been de-seated.
"We will move the Supreme Court for justice, whose verdict will be acceptable to us," he added.
It was PML-N's right according to law and the Constitution to seek justice from the superior judiciary and it would do so, he added.
Rashid said the tribunal in its verdict did not mention any malpractice on the part of Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, rather it specified some irregularities of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).
He said that Sardar Ayaz Sadiq or his voters could not be punished for the mistakes or malpractices of the ECP. The voters in NA-122, he added, used their right to franchise in a free, fair and transparent manner in May-2013 general election.
He said PTI chief Imran Khan, who lost the polls, had filed a petition against Sardar Sadiq's election on alleged anomalies and flimsy grounds.
Imran Khan, he said, could not justify the sit-in on the basis of tribunal's decision on NA-122.
He said the PTI chief was not content with Umer Ayub's victory from NA-19 with a margin of only 750 votes, but now he had to be satisfied with the defeat of his party candidate by a margin of 47,000 votes in re-polls. The same story would be repeated if re-elections were held in the constituencies of Khawaja Saad Rafique and Ayaz Sadiq in Lahore, he added.
The minister said the PML-N was a democratic party and it had tradition to absorb difference of opinion. But on the other hand, there was dictatorship in the PTI. Imran's stubborn attitude was the main reason behind the party's defeat in elections, he added.
He said Imran Khan had restricted his party leaders from issuing statements. Former Justice Wajihuddin, who was the most respected person in the country, was issued a show-cause notice by Imran Khan, he added. Similarly, he said, PTI leadership had no respect for party workers.
He said the PML-N leadership respected party workers. That was why they put in extra efforts and won the difficult election of NA-19 with thumping majority.