Dr Shahzad Waseem of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has won the Senate seat vacated by Ch Sarwar. He bagged 181 votes, while his rival Khawaja Ahmed Hassan of the PML-N got 169 votes who was also supported by PPP while one vote was rejected. In the Senate elections out of 358 Punjab Assembly members 351 members cast their vote. The polling began in Punjab Assembly at 9am and continued till 4pm.
Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar congratulated Dr Shahzad Waseem on his victory. He said Shahzad's victory is the success of the change. He said Shahzad Waseem should play his role for the new Pakistan. "The PTI will win the by-elections like today," he said. In his felicitation message, the chief minister said success of Shahzad Waseem is a victory of policies of Prime Minister Imran Khan. Victory of Shahzad Waseem is a success of change process laid by the people in general elections. Shahzad Waseem will also play his role in the development of new Pakistan, he said. The way PTI has achieved success in the senate election; it will also win the by-elections. It is hoped that Shahzad Waseem will play his active role for the supremacy of constitution and legislation, concluded the chief minister.
Senior Punjab Minister Abdul Aleem Khan while talking to the media outside Punjab Assembly said there are no funds available while the past rulers started costly projects of Orange Line Train (OLT) of Rs 300 billion only for the sake of their commission of Rs 125 billion.
He also said present situation is difficult but temporary, and Prime Minister Imran Khan would address the nation to apprise about the real situation of Punjab. He strongly criticized Hamza Shahbaz on levelling allegation against him. He questioned that if he grabbed any piece of land why no action was taken against him during last 10 years and a single FIR was not registered too.
He claimed that if anything is wrong on his part Hamza Shahbaz should go along with media and show them those lands as well and refrain from levelling allegations in his public addresses only for the sake of political favour. He said such elements should be ashamed on such activities and remain ready to face the music for the acts they did in their regime.
Aleem Khan said CM Punjab is fully capable and authorize too and he only exercises powers accorded by him for the sake of smooth and early running of state affairs. Senior Minister told that bill for new Local Government System in Punjab would be tabled in the next session and all the home work in this regard is already completed at their end. He said another scam in the shape of LDA City is near to come for which past government is responsible. Abdul Aleem Khan also criticized Rana Mashhood on his recent statement and said it is due to shock of losing 10 years' long power and he has sympathies for Rana Mashhood. He also expressed his hope that soon Rana Mashhood would be out of such state of mind and will be able to be normal.
While responding to a question Senior Minister said as PTI president of Central Punjab he interviewed 800 candidates out of them some "bomb" or "missile" may also be there who has no link with him or his party as well. He also said present government is striving hard to overcome the situation and soon good news would be there and price hike and all other issues would be resolved.
Later, on the success of PTI Senator of Dr Shahzad Waseem, Abdul Aleem Khan also talked to the media and congratulated him on his success. Abdul Aleem Khan said once again majority of Tehreek-e-Insaf in Punjab Assembly has been proved. Dr Waseem thanked Prime Minister Imran Khan for putting his faith in him.
"I also thank our allies who voted for me," he said. Dr Waseem is a senior PTI member and has served as an adviser to Imran Khan on foreign political parties' relations. He was elected Senator on the PML-Q ticket from 2002 to 2008 and later served as minister of state for interior in former prime minister Shaukat Aziz's cabinet during the military regime of Gen Pervez Musharraf (retd).
Several members of the opposition parties complained that the election was allegedly rigged by closing the door for entry of the members of opposition parties but keeping the entrance open for members of treasury benches. PML-N leader Uzma Bukhari claimed that the "Punjab chief election commissioner misused his authority" and demanded his "immediate sacking".
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