MULTAN: Veteran politician Javed Hashmi says there will be no rigging in the election on July 25 as the “required results have already been achieved”.

Speaking to the media here on Wednesday, he predicted that after six months of the election, the major political parties including the PML-N, the PPP, the Awami National Party and even the PTI would be on the container. “Imran Khan will be with them (on the container), he said.

He said Imran was making all-out efforts to become prime minister in the election in which the role of the establishment is evident.

“Only the people backed by the establishment win elections. Everyone can see these electables and instead of holding such elections, the establishment should nominate such people,” he said.

“Where are the electables who were once with the PML-Q and Musharrraf,” he asked.

He said NAB was activated just before every election despite the fact that none of its decisions was accepted by the high court or Supreme Court.

He said the chief justice was doing the job of the government by announcing construction of dams. “I would say that the chief justice should be made prime minister for 10 years.”

He said he would go to Lahore on July 13 for the reception of Nawaz Sharif. “The decision to come back by Nawaz Sharif is for the sake of democracy as it was easy for him to get political asylum in London,” he said.

He said although Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz were aware that they would be put behind the bars, they are still coming to Pakistan for the sake of democracy.

“All the political parties should come to welcome Nawaz Sharif for the sake of democracy,” he said. He said no one was more courageous than Nawaz Sharif who is bringing his daughter along despite knowing that they would be sent to jail.

Published in Dawn, July 12th, 2018