Video: PTI's PS-115 candidate claims receiving threats to jump ship

KARACHI: Shahnawaz Jadoon, an independent candidate backed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), had tears rolling down his face as he lamented being declared a loser after a vote recount was held for the PS-115 (Keamari) constituency that he had earlier won.

According to Jadoon, whose video is doing the rounds on social media, the seat was "snatched" from him after he refused to quit the party and leave its incarcerated founder Imran Khan's side. He also claimed being threatened and forced to join the Peoples Party (PPP) or Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) to salvage his place in the Sindh Assembly.

"I've been receiving phone calls since morning asking me to leave Imran Khan. I told them that I won't leave Imran Khan under any circumstances," he said in the video statement.

Jadoon said he received his results and Form 47 last night. He also spoke about being threatened to change his seat and "forced to join" the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan.

The politician said he stands with Imran Khan and his workers who worked for him day and night to get him elected by the constituency's people, despite being forced to leave the seat.

"I will die but never leave Imran Khan's side. Thousands of such seats can be sacrificed for Imran Khan and the people of my constituency," he said, adding he has no interest in becoming a member of the provincial assembly.

Jadoon won the PS-115 seat after securing 20,609 votes against PPP's Muhammad Asif Khan in the February 8 general elections.

However, the PPP claimed its candidate was declared the winner in the recounting.

In a separate audio being attributed to Jadoon and released this morning, the politician allegedly said he was receiving phone calls from different private numbers pressuring him to join other political parties and quit PTI.

Jadoon added that when he refused to do so, they threatened him with snatching the seat.

"I have all three forms — 47, 48 and 49. Even though no recounting is held after the issuance of From 48," he said.

However, Jadoon said at 3:30pm, he was verbally informed by the returning officer's office that the recount of the votes would be held at 5pm on Wednesday.

"I neither received any letter nor was informed about it," he said, adding that the seat had been snatched from him after his refusal to leave Imran Khan.

The politician, in the audio, also spoke about "rigging" and "tampering" in Form 45, claiming that he was declared the winner in Form 47 on February 9 night with a lead of around 1,700 to 1,800 votes.

PTI-backed winner from Karachi's PS-88 joins PPP

On the other hand, another newly elected PTI-backed independent candidate from PS-88 in Malir, Ejaz Khan Swati, announced joining the PPP following his win in the general polls.

In a video statement, Swati spoke about his intention to join the PPP for the betterment of the people, his friends and the overall welfare and prosperity of the constituency.

He said his decision to join the party is unconditional, with the sole purpose of serving the people of his constituency.

Swati was elected as an independent candidate with the support of PTI from PS-88 Malir, thereby increasing the number of PPP members in the Sindh Assembly to 86.

In response to Swati's announcement, PTI Karachi's President Khurram Sher Zaman said the party has decided to suspend the politician's membership.

Speaking to Geo News, Zaman said if those who take an oath in the name of Allah are not ours, then they cannot belong to anyone else either. He urged the PPP to refrain from including "such traitors" in its fold.