Election reforms bill controversial, says PTI

LAHORE :PTI senior leader Dr Babar Awan Wednesday said the party would challenge Nawaz Sharif’s eligibility to hold party office and continue to oppose any unconstitutional act at every forum. 

Addressing a press conference on Wednesday, Dr Babar Awan said the Election Reforms Bill was a controversial legislation, both at constitutional and religious level, adding the PML-N had pushed country towards constitutional crisis.

He said how a person, who was not qualified to become the member of parliament, could be the head of any political party, adding neither Nawaz could save his skin from disqualification nor his party could survive now. He said the bill passed by PML-N in the parliament to protect Nawaz had laid foundation of rigging. The PTI leader alleged that contract for publishing of material for the next general elections had been given to a private company instead of Pakistan Printing Corporation.

Babar Awan said Nawaz Sharif should have courage to speak against anti Pakistan elements and he was only going for confrontation with the institutions of Pakistan. To a question, he said in the month of October, the demand of fresh elections would be heard from every nook and corner of the country.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) central Punjab leadership has received flak from the party lower tier over its apathetic attitude and failure to attend the funeral of PTI councillor from Narowal. 

Councillor Muhammad Aslam passed away on Tuesday, but the absence of senior office-bearers of the party from central Punjab Wing headed by Aleem Khan and silence of its members over the demise of the party worker invited criticism from PTI media coordinator Javed Badr and others. This is noteworthy that a day ago, senior party member from Punjab and former District Naib Nazim Lahore as well MNA Farooq Amjed Mir announced quitting the PTI while expressing disappointment with the way leadership was treating the workers.  Javed Badr in a video message to the media said none of the party office-bearer bothered to express condolence over the death of the party worker who defeated the PML-N candidate in Local Government elections in Narowal.  He said even the head of PTI central Punjab chapter Abdul Aleem Khan didn’t telephone any relatives of the deceased to express condolence over his death. “The PTI has started ignoring its workers who work day and night for the party”, said Javed Badr, who is also the nephew of councillor Aslam Thekedar. He alleged that Abdul Aleem Khan had no time for the workers. The News tried to contact Abdul Aleem Khan, the head of PTI Central Punjab chapter, but he was not available for comments.