May 02, 2008	Friday	Rabi-us-Sani 25, 1429

LAHORE, May 1: Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaaf chairman Imran Khan has thrown a challenge to PPP co-chairman Asif Zardari to contest bypoll from NA-55 against him to know what the nation wanted on the judges’ issue.

The cricketer-turned-politician made the announcement in response to a PPP leader’s reported interview that his party had not got pro-judiciary vote in the Feb 18 elections.

Talking to a TV channel, Khan insisted that restoration of the deposed judges was, and is, an issue of the masses and they had voted for the democratic forces to power to resolve it to their liking.

He said opinion polls had already shown that over

80 per cent public wanted the restoration of pre-Nov 3 judiciary.

Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaaf information secretary Omar Cheema said if Mr Zardari accepted the challenge, the PTI would securely file nomination papers for the party chairman for NA-55.

Otherwise, he added, Mr Khan would not contest polls till the reinstatement of the pre-emergency judiciary.

Rejecting the challenge, a spokesman of the Bilawal House said Imran should better contest against a local PPP worker from Mianwali.