PTI issues ticket for NA-157 by-poll to Meher Bano on merit: Qureshi

Former foreign minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) vice chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi said on Monday that PTI issued a ticket for the by-election in NA-157 to his daughter Meher Bano on merit as she was the only candidate having the ability to contest the election against Syed Ali Musa Gilani.

Speaking to the journalists on Monday, “I have taken a tough and difficult decision just to revive the narrative of Imran Khan, and I will contact friends and inform them about the situation, and when all the facts come before them, all of them will respect Imran Khan s ticket,” Qureshi said.

In response to a question, the PTI vice chairman stated that the by-election campaign will begin after Ashura.He said the daughters of the nation have to play a role when difficult times come to the nation, adding that half of the country s population consists of women and they have rights.

The former FM also condemned the BJP’s chauvinistic move to ban mourning processions and ‘Majalis’ in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJ&K) during Muharram and demanded the foreign office to record their protest with the Indian ambassador in Pakistan.

Qureshi said mourning processions and ‘Majalis’ were being organized across the world but only the people of IIOJ&K were deprived of their religious rights by the Indian forces.

He demanded that Pakistan s foreign office summon the Indian Ambassador and record his protest.