LAHORE, July 22 (APP): Federal Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah Khan on Friday said that Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz succeeded in getting elected its Chief Minister in Punjab Assembly due to correct decision of Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and efforts of allied parties, particularly Pakistan Peoples’ Party Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari for strengthening democracy.
Addressing a press conference at Model Town along with Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb and PML-N Leader Talal Chaudhry, he said that PML-Q Chief Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, being an experienced and patriotic politician, deserved full appreciation as all the PML-N and its allied parties appreciated his decision to get Hamza Shehbaz Sharif elected as Chief Minister.
Rana Sanaullah Khan said that the success of the PML-N in Punjab Assembly was made possible due to aspirations of people, adding that PML-N defeated those elements who were trying to create unrest in the country.”Now all such attempts have been foiled”.
The minister said the PML-N had accepted gracefully its defeat in the by-poll election held on July 17 and also identified the weaknesses in candidates’ selection.
On the other hand, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan, even after winning the by-polls, criticized the Election Commission of Pakistan and others, and accused them of rigging. He stressed that politics of hatred should be weeded from the country.
Rana Sanaullah Khan said that as per Supreme Court’s decision pertaining to Article 63-A, the parliamentarians were bound to cast votes under party chief’s directions.If anybody would cast vote against the directions of party chief, he or she would be disqualified and the vote would not be counted, he added.
He said that PTI General Secretary Asad Umer had issued a letter to the PTI’s parliamentarian to cast vote in favor of Chaudhry Pervaiz Ellahi under PTI chairman Imran Khan’s directions, otherwise they would be de-seated. He said the by-elections were also held on those seats which were vacated after de-notification of 25 PTI’s members.
The minister said that the PML-N and its allies would continue to serve to the masses at federal as well as provincial level, adding that PTI chief Imran Khan should act in a befitting manner ,adding that if he would try to take law into his hands or create law and order situation, the law would take its course.
To a question, Rana Sanaullah said PPP Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari, being a major ally of coalition government played a significant role in getting support from PML-Q as he convinced Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain to direct his party members on giving votes in favor of Hamza Shehbaz Sharif .
To another query about removal of Inspector General of Police (IGP) Punjab, the minister cleared that IGP Rao Sardar Ali Khan was not removed; rather he was transferred on his own request as some elements were leveling baseless criticism about his performance and he did not want to continue as IGP.
Talking about PTI’s foreign funding case, Rana Sanaullah hoped that Election Commission of Pakistan’s decision regarding PTI foreign funding would soon be announced as it was an open and shut case, adding that Imran Khan was criticizing the institutions which showed he knew that the ECP decision would be against PTI.
To a question, he said that PML-N Supremo Muhammad Nawaz Sharif would decide on his own about his return to the country, but the party wanted him to run electoral campaign in the next general elections.
Responding to another query, Rana Sanaullah termed the criticism on newly appointed National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Chairman Aftab Sultan as ‘baseless’ and said that he was an upright and honest person who had served in police service for last 40 years, and after his appointment as NAB Chairman, the Bureau would become an effective, independent accountability institution.
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