Senate tickets, Lodhran poll also stand void: Sheikh Rasheed

ISLAMABAD: Awami Muslim League (AML) chief Sheikh Rasheed has said that with the verdict of disqualification announced by the Supreme Court (SC) against Nawaz Sharif as party head, the Senate tickets and Lodhran elections have also become null and void.

While talking to Geo News on Wednesday after the SC verdict, Sheikh Rasheed said that the politics of Nawaz Sharif had fallen down and eliminated after the verdict. The AML chief declared the verdict of Supreme Court in Electoral ACT 2017 case bigger than the judgement of Panama case. He said that he had already predicted that the decision on the fate of Nawaz Sharif would come before March 31.

Our correspondent adds from Lahore: Ruling out any support to Nawaz Sharif for confrontation, the PPP chairman on Wednesday said the former prime minister didn’t want judicial reforms but a judiciary of his own choice. Talking to the media after visiting the residence of renowned human right activist and lawyer late Asma Jahangir to express condolence with her family over her death, the PPP chairman said Nawaz was trying to gain support of parliament for which he never showed any respect only to protect his corruption.

He said it was a joke that Nawaz, who came to the National Assembly four times and to Senate only twice, was speaking over the sanctity of ballot. He was trying to make parliament controversial to confront with the judiciary, Bilawal added. He said Nawaz never wanted judicial reforms but a judiciary of the PML-N, adding that reforms couldn’t take place while confronting with the institution. He said Shahbaz Sharif and Saif-ur-Rehman used to pressurise judges to receive verdicts of their own choice.

The PPP chairman said a person, who remained the prime minister three times and whose party was in power, was playing the role of the opposition. He urged Nawaz to stop raising a hue and cry and start working for the country. Replying to a query, he said the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) was after the PPP workers without warrants.

Answering another question about horse trading for the Senate polls, Bilawal said he could never endorse the use of money in the process and stated it was Nawaz, who started the trend of buying loyalties. Paying rich tributes to Asma, he said she was a role model for the progressive youth of the country and always showed courage and braved difficult situations. She was outspoken on all affairs, whether they were related to establishment or anything else, he added.

Terming the Milli Muslim League and Tehreek-e-Labaik Ya Rasool Ullah (PBUH) as new toys, he said it would be regretful to think if a progressive city like Lahore slipped into their hands.