NA 157 by-poll: Qureshi defends daughter’s candidature amid criticism

• PTI leader Shah Mahmood Qureshi rejects criticism against daughter.
• Says Meher Bano Qureshi fittest candidate in Multan constituency.
• By-poll scheduled in NA 157 on September 11.

MULTAN: Rejecting all the criticism against his daughter, who is contesting the NA 157 by-poll, Former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi Monday defended Meher Bano Qureshi, saying she is the fittest candidate in the Multan constituency.

The PTI workers held a protest demonstration last week against Shah Mahmood Qureshi for giving the party ticket to his daughter to contest the election on a seat vacated by his son, Zain Qureshi.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has announced the schedule for the by-poll in NA-157 Multan to be held on Sept 11 for which 18 candidates have filed nomination papers including Senator Yusuf Raza Gilani’s son Syed Ali Musa Gilani.

Talking to journalists during the 9th Muharram procession in Mumtazabad, the PTI vice chairman said his daughter had been awarded the ticket in the larger interest of the party, as there was no other suitable candidate to contest Musa Gilani.

Qureshi warned former premier and PPP leader Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani to remain within limits and talk as per his status.

He said Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto had invited him to join the PPP with respect and offered him the office of the minister for foreign affairs.

“Meher Bano is contesting the elections to promote the narrative of Imran Khan. When hard times come, the girls of the nation also have to play their part. They will campaign keeping in mind their eastern traditions. Meher Bano will also campaign as far as women are concerned,” he said.

Qureshi said he was surprised that till now there was no statement from Bilawal Bhutto on the Israeli attack in Gaza.

He said Miftah Ismail takes one step forward and two steps back. The fixed tax was levied on traders unnecessarily, he added.

In an attempt to counter the criticism on his party after a smear campaign against the martyrs of the Balochistan copter crash, the former foreign minister said General Sarfraz was known to Imran Khan by family.

Army played the best role in Multan, earthquake and flood, he added.

He condemned the ban on mourning in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir and said the mourning was observed across the globe except Kashmir and the government should record a protest diplomatically.

He said apart from IIOJ&K, mourning was being done all over the world.

Qureshi requested the government of Pakistan and the Foreign Office to summon the Indian ambassador and record the protest.