Senate polls: PTI may face setback in Sindh

KARACHI: The PTI may suffer a setback in Sindh during the March 3 Senate polls as at least six of its lawmakers are unlikely to cast votes for the candidates nominated by Prime Minister Imran Khan in the elections for the Upper House.

A PTI insider told The News that three more MPAs, including a lawmaker elected on a minority seat, are not in contact with the PTI leadership and in all likelihood will announce not to vote for the party’s candidates.

MPAs to stay at hotel

Alarmed over the developments, the PTI has directed all its MPs to assemble at a local hotel by Tuesday from where they will be taken together to cast their vote in the Sindh Assembly to avoid any ‘poaching of its votes’.

Read more: MQM-P, GDA and others assure PTI of their support in Senate elections

‘Will not vote for PTI candidates’

Besides, three PTI MPAs, including Karim Bux Gabol, Shahryar Khan Shar and Aslam Abro, have announced that they will not cast votes for the PTI candidates in the Senate election.

Earlier on Monday, three PTI MPAs announced that they would not cast vote along the party lines in the Upper House of the Parliament, amid accusations from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf that the Pakistan People’s Party was pressurising its MPAs to change loyalties in the Senate polls.

Immediately afterwards, President PTI Karachi, Khurram Sher Zaman had said that three PTI MPAs had been kidnapped. “Their last location was in Defence,” he said, speaking to media. “These MPAs were in contact with us,” added Zaman.

Meanwhile, a PTI leader disclosed to The News that three more MPAs, including a lawmaker elected on a minority seat, will also announce not to vote for the party’s candidates.

Read more: 'Government offers six seats to PDM from Balochistan in Senate elections'

PPP using pressure tactics

Announcing the new development, Naqvi and Sherzaman in a press conference said that three more party’s MPAs are not in touch with them and their phones remained switched off.

In the press conference, PTI’s opposition leader in Sindh Assembly Firdous Shamim Naqvi and PTI Karachi President Khurram Sherzaman Khurram Sherzaman alleged that PPP is using pressure tactics through the Sindh Police including registration of baseless cases, against the PTI MPAs to force them to vote for the PPP’s candidates in the province.

Naqvi alleged that Gabol gave the video statement under severe pressure.

“On Sunday. He was a steadfast PTI supporter and had always criticised the PPP for bad governance and corruption, holding it responsible for the destruction of the province,” said Naqvi.

He said that three PTI MPAs, including Gabol, had gone missing since Sunday evening and warned that if something happened to them, the Sindh government will be held responsible for it.

Read more: Senate polls to be held through secret ballot, but secrecy not absolute: Supreme Court

He demanded the Election Commission of Pakistan to take action against horse-trading of the PPP in Sindh province for the Senate polls.

Naqvi said that the combined opposition in Sindh has only fielded five candidates – three on general seats, one technocrat, and one for the women’s seat in view of its collective strength of 65 in the provincial assembly.

Combined opposition in Sindh comprises the PTI, MQM-P and GDA. “We proved our goodwill in Sindh by not fielding a single candidate more than the number of seats we have. Those with bad intentions have fielded additional candidates,” he said.

Read more: Two PTI MPAs from Sindh lash out at party's Senate candidates

Khurram Sherzaman said that police had also registered a baseless case against MPA Raja Azhar and pressurised him to switch loyalties in the Senate polls. 

He said that a case has also been registered against the party’s district Korangi president and other workers.

Sher Zaman said that the manipulation of the Senate polls started with the arrest of Leader of the Opposition Haleem Adil Sheikh. “Since then, the PTI members are being intimidated and threatened on a regular basis,” he charged.