PTI votes increase: PML-N didn’t win but PTI lost Daska polls, says Fawad

ISLAMABAD/LAHORE: Federal Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry Sunday said the PMLN had not won Daska re-election but the PTI lost it for various reasons towards which he had been drawing the party’s attention.

In his tweets, Fawad said the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) had to strengthen its ranks, as the country’s future depended on the success of PTI and Imran Khan. "Imran Khan is the hope of democracy in Pakistan and there is no leader in the country of his political stature,” Fawad said.

"Recognizing Bilawal Bhutto and Maryam Nawaz as the leader of Pakistan will be a slap in the face of democracy," he said. He pointed out that the PTI will have to straighten its ranks as the future of this country depended on the success of PTI and Imran Khan.

He said Nawaz Sharif had no ideology nor was the Nawaz League an ideological party. Nawaz League, after being in power for a long time, has become a group, which only serves its own interests and its followers cannot be called ideologues, he added.

Meanwhile, Special Assistant to the Punjab Chief Minister (SACM) Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan Sunday alleged that the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PMLN) distributed Rs120 million in Daska to get support of voters in the by-election.

Addressing a press conference here along with the PTI Senator Ejaz Chaudhry, she criticised the returning officer (RO) for not taking action against the PMLN MNAs and MPAs, who were maneuvering votes.

“Defeat and victory does not matter for the PTI, as the party sticks to its narrative always and ultimately achieves its goal, she said, adding that the PMLN faced moral defeat in the Daska by-election. She said, "Those who say that the PTI lost the election should understand that its vote bank and popularity increased manifold.

Senator Ejaz Chaudhry said on February 19, the PTI won the Daska by-poll and on April 10, the Election Commission won it. Criticising the Election Commission, he said it did not take notice of the code of conduct violations by the PMLN and its decision depressed the PTI voters.

To a question, Dr Firdous said, "PTI is a name of movement and a movement does not end up with defeat or victory of a single seat.” She said Jahangir Tareen and his aides were standing with the PTI and Prime Minister Imran Khan.

Meanwhile, commenting on the Daska by-polls, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Shahbaz Gill Sunday tweeted that for the PTI workers morality was more important than wining an election.

“Otherwise, how difficult is it to win in this country? Have the PPP and PMLN ever lost a by-election? To win by hook and crook, you have to fire women in the face in Model Town,” he said in a tweet.