Despite allegations of murder against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) nominee for Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar, newly elected Prime Minister Imran Khan on Saturday stuck to his guns, saying he is the best choice as chief minister of the largest province.
Prime Minister Khan did not move an inch on his nominee for chief minister Punjab despite allegations started taking the rounds in media that Buzdar had exonerated himself from a murder case after paying blood money to heirs of the victims.
Elected from PP-236 after joining the PTI in recent past, Usman Buzdar, after surpassing many heavy weights who were dreaming to rule the Punjab, was nominated by PM Imran Khan in a video message. Khan explained the candidate for such an important post is chosen from the most backward part of Punjab.
The people belong to his region are so impoverished that they even do not have basic necessities such as water, electricity, hospital and others.
Khan further added that Buzdar does not even have electricity at his own home. As unbelievable as that may sound, it is true. His home in the tribal areas has no power like the rest of homes in village.
Right after the announcement of Buzdar as the candidate for Punjab CM, social media started buzzing with the lesser known facts with details that are quite contradicting with the reasoning of PM Imran Khan to select him as the most rightful candidate.
Media reported that Buzdar's hometown might not have the basic necessities but he himself, is not living in such an impoverished area rather he along with his family lives in an urban
part of the DG Khan equipped with basic provisions of water, electricity and others. Before being part of the PTI camp, he was seen roaming around with the arch rival of PTI, former chief minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif. Using the Janoobi Punjab Suba Mahaz movement, he and several other South Punjab members of national and provincial assembly defected from PML-N to PTI. He joined PML-N in 2008 and remained there till 2013. In 2013, he contested and lost against the candidate of Pakistan People's Party.
Before joining PML-N, he had been a part of Pakistan Muslim League Q from 2002 to 2008. The media is abuzz with rumours that Buzdar had been involved in murder of six men in a firing incident in 1998 election. He was accused of paying blood money to resolve a murder case against him.
According to a copy of FIR circulating on social media, the case was registered against 20 people including Buzdar and his father Sardar Fateh Muhammad over their alleged involvement in the murder. Buzdar and his father had paid Rs 7.5 million as blood money to settle the case, it was alleged. However, the latest statement of PM Imran Khan issued on Twitter clearly stated that he will stand by his decision with regards to the nomination of Buzdar, as election for the slot of CM Punjab will be held today.