MULTAN: Veteran politician Javed Hashmi has said he will ask Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chairman Imran Khan to summon him during the party’s public gathering in Multan on Oct 10 to enable him to respond to the show-cause notice.

Speaking at a press conference here on Tuesday, Mr Hashmi averred that he was ready to appear before the party workers to explain his point of view and respond to the allegations levelled against him.

“I do not attach any importance to Jahangir Tareen but in response to his (Tareen’s) statement that I was sacked owing to issuing statements against the party leadership, it is my right that I should be given an opportunity to respond to the allegations in the party’s Multan public gathering,” he said.

He said instead of answering the show-cause in closed door, he would prefer to appear before the public and that would set a precedent of democratic attitude by the president of any political party. He said he would write a letter to Imran Khan in this regard.

He said Tareen was not an elected office-bearer of the party and he got the media coverage by utilising his resources. “I would compete with Tareen through my enthusiasm,” he said. He said the party leadership took “20 U-turns during the last 20 days”.

PTI supports independent candidate for NA-149

“On the one hand the party is expressing its mistrust in the Election Commission of Pakistan and, on the other, an independent candidate has been fielded as the party candidate who is contesting election without party ticket and symbol,” he said.

He said the PML-N had announced support for him in the by-poll to NA-149 though he did not meet Nawaz Sharif, Shahbaz Sharif or Hamza Sharif.

“I am grateful to the PML-N leaders for their support. The election campaign would be accelerated after the local leadership of the PML-N would take any decision in this regard,” he said.

Meanwhile, PML-N’s Sarwat Khan met Mr Hashmi at his residence and announced withdrawal of her nomination papers. PTI’s Khalid Khakwani, Ejaz Janjua, Aun Abbas Buppi and others withdrew their papers.

QURESHI:PTI vice-chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi said that in the larger interest of the party it had been decided to support an independent candidate, Amir Dogar, in the by-election. “I am grateful to the party workers for accepting the party’s decision of not contesting election,” he added.

He said the rulers were claiming that the 2013 general elections were transparent but people had rejected the government stance by turning up at PTI shows.

SYMBOLS:The ECP allotted symbols to the candidates on Tuesday. Mr Hashmi was allotted the symbol of bucket, Amir Dogar and Dr Javed Siddiqi were allotted the symbols of rabbit and arrow, respectively.

Published in Dawn, October 1st , 2014