LAHORE: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf candidate Dr Yasmin Rashid alleges that 29,000 unverifiable votes have again been included in the electoral lists for NA-125 (Lahore-III) despite the fact that she had pursued her petition against these fake votes in the Lahore High Court after the by-election in the constituency (previously NA-120).

Begum Kalsoom Nawaz returned as a successful candidate in the by-election after former prime minister Nawaz Sharif was disqualified for life.

“My petition was declared infructuous after the National Assembly under the former PML-N rule completed its term on May 31,” she said at a news conference and expressed her dismay over the inclusion of the same unverifiable votes in the electoral list. “So, the matter of 29,000 fake votes is not closed yet,” she added.

Referring to the launch of PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif’s election campaign from Karachi, Dr Rashid asked whose private jet he was using to run his election campaign. She said the PML-N continues asking about use of private jet by Imran Khan who never held a public office but how would the PML-N explain Mr Sharif’s position.

She said Sindh Governor Muhammad Zubair also extended him (Shahbaz Sharif) protocol of a fleet of vehicles. “Is the Election Commission of Pakistan watching all these irregularities,” she asked.

Dr Rashid demanded that the governors of all four provinces should be removed and neutral persons be appointed.

The PTI candidate also chided Mr Sharif for making false promises with the people of Karachi with regard to provision of clean drinking water and added that he had failed to provide potable water to the Lahorites even after ‘squandering’ Rs4 billion.

Showing a copy of Daily Mail’s report about the Sharif family’s $32 million properties in London, Dr Rashid said the newspaper had called them “dacoits” and added that Maryam Nawaz was also one of the owners of those properties. The Sharif family should rebut the news item and sue the newspaper (if the story is wrong), she said.

Published in Dawn, June 27th, 2018