Khursheed Shah accuses PML-N of neglecting South Punjab in Senate polls

ISLAMABAD: Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly Syed Khursheed Shah on Thursday blamed the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) for depriving Southern Punjab of representation in the Senate.

Speaking to the media, he said Senator Jaffar Iqbal is the only member of the upper house of Parliament from what he termed the marginalized region.

The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) stalwart said that money should not be used to lure candidates in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has already warned his party’s candidates in KP against accepting bribes in the upcoming Senate polls.

Commenting over formation of judicial commission to probe into alleged rigging in the 2013 general election, Shah said that he held a meeting with Finance Minster Isahq Dar over the matter and would meet PTI leader Jahangir Tareen soon.

He was hopeful that the issue of formation of the judicial commission would be resolved before the Senate elections, scheduled for March 5.

The opposition leader urged the Parliamentarians to respect the sanctity of ballot during the polls. He suggested that the elections for the upper house should be held as direct polls like general elections, adding that getting elected unopposed does not set good precedents.

Commenting over repatriation of Uzair Baloch from United Arab Emirates (UAE), he said that the federal government would bring back the suspect of Lyari gang war. “How can the Sindh government stop Uzair Baloch’s return to the country?” he questioned.