Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) vice-chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi while expressing concerns about rigging in Punjab by-elections on Tuesday said that the Punjab government is damaging the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) dignity and Hamza Shahbaz can do anything to protest his Chief Ministership.
During a press conference with PTI leaders Dr Yasmin Rashid and Hammad Azhar, the former foreign minister said that the Punjab government was using its machinery before the by-polls and CM Hamza directed 14 DPOs that his future is connected with by-elections. He can do anything to protect his Chief Ministership, Qureshi said.
Qureshi further claimed that said Punjab CM has directed the Special Branch officers to monitor their candidate’s movement and conversations and they are harassing the people who are supporting PTI’s candidates.
The former FM said the meetings are being arranged by Hamza Shahbaz at the level of the Union Council to change the loyalties.
He said that according to the principle of the Election Commission, no development work is allowed in the constituency before the elections and in this regard the ECP also issued a press release on June 9 in but the development works are in progress despite the press released, adding that he has also sent a video to an ECP member.
“I want to ask the ECP why they are silent over these development works while they claim to be neutral,” Qureshi said.