Horse-trading first act of leaders of Naya Pakistan, says Hamza

LAHORE: PML-N leader Hamza Shahbaz on Wednesday blasted the PTI, saying that those chanting the slogan of Naya Pakistan had begun with horse trading.

Talking to media outside the Punjab Assembly, he said the PML-N and other major parties had rejected the elections results; however, his party would play its constitutional role in the current setup for the continuation and supremacy of democracy by raising the people’s issues inside and outside the assembly.

Hamza, who is PML-N parliamentary leader in the Punjab Assembly, said Nawaz Sharif was wrongfully sentenced but it would not subdue his motivation because the PML-N had braved similar circumstances during Musharraf era as well and it knew how to play the role of an effective opposition.

Hamza said “success is not achieved through being in the ruling seat but by the performance of a government and PML-N had delivered to the people during its tenure”.

Similarly, Khawaja Saad Rafique said a government built on engineered results and horse-trading could not be deemed as a representative of the people’s will and therefore couldn’t function. He bashed the PTI chief for backing out of his promise by contesting against recounting and said the PML-N would play the role of a strong opposition in the Punjab Assembly that Imran would not be able to know what hit him.

Separately, Hamza said the PML-N would participate in the elections for speaker, deputy speaker and chief minister with full preparation and won’t allow anyone a free pass.

Speaking at a PML-N parliamentary party meeting, he said despite rejecting the election results, the PML-N had decided to join the Parliament because it did not want anyone to derail democracy in the country.

On the other hand, Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi told reporters outside the Punjab Assembly that he had returned to the Punjab Assembly after 14 long years and was excited about the future prospects. He said he was still campaigning to get maximum votes for the position of Punjab Assembly Speaker and once elected, he would make sure to run the assembly affairs in an exemplary manner.

Answering a question regarding the PML-N protesting by wearing black armbands, he said it was part of the democratic process and it wasn’t something extraordinary that the losing party had reservations regarding the elections.

PTI MPA-elect Aleem Khan claimed that the PML-N was in a state of shock because they were out of the government for the first time in 30 years. He said PTI chief Imran Khan’s directives would be followed at every cost and the party’s Punjab chapter was committed to fulfil the promises made by him to the people of the province.

Answering a question regarding the rigging allegations, Aleem said the PML-N had been robbing people’s mandate for the past 30 years so the accusation coming from them was rich.

PTI MPA-elect Yasmeen Rashid said she believed in democratic values and had always worked towards building a better community with better public facilities. She said she would work tirelessly for the people of Punjab and that of Pakistan in the most constructive way possible.

Jugnu Mohsin said she was very happy to be part of the provincial legislature. She added that she was not part of any number game as she had been focused on delivering for the people of her constituency.