PTI fears losing votes in NA speaker, deputy polls

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has accused the opposition of trying to lure some of its lawmakers away by making “lucrative offers” for their votes in the election for the posts of the speaker and deputy speaker of the National Assembly.

The PTI leaders are worried mainly because of two reasons -- the secret balloting and slim majority it holds over the combined opposition’s total strength.

PTI’s Vice-Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi warned that “it will be unfortunate if the voting pattern witnessed during the Senate election is repeated”. “It is everyone’s right to seek lawmakers’ support in favour of a candidate, but we do not want anyone to buy vote(s),” Qureshi said.

“PTI has the required numbers. We are confident that our nominees will win if MNAs voted in accordance with their conscience,” he said, adding that the opposition alliance was unnatural and would not last long.

PTI’s spokesman Fawad Chaudhry said: “PTI knows that some MNAs have been approached in connection with the election for the posts of the speaker and deputy speaker.”

He said the party would conduct an inquiry into the affair.

The opposition candidate for National Assembly speaker Khursheed Shah told media persons that he had been in Parliament for the last 30 years, and therefore, he had contacts with all members. He said in present circumstances, the National Assembly requires a speaker who could take along all the members and parties along, expressing hope that parliamentarians would decide their votes while keeping in view all facts.