LAHORE: PTI’s Wasiq Qayyum, who was a joint candidate of his party and the PML-Q, was elected as Punjab Assembly’s deputy speaker unopposed on Saturday after the Opposition announced a boycott of the polls.
The Punjab Assembly deputy speaker’s seat fell vacant after Dost Muhammad Mazari was removed through a no-confidence motion submitted by the PTI after his ties deteriorated with the party.
Speaking with the media persons, the Opposition candidate Ali Haider Gilani said that the Opposition has boycotted the elections as they are not “clean and transparent”.
“We had strong objections regarding the election process,” said the candidate.
Opposition cries foul against Wasiq’s election
Special Assistant to Prime Minister, Attaullah Tarar said that PML-Q and PTI had rigged election of Speaker Punjab Assembly as secrecy and sanctity of the vote was violated during the voting process.
Talking to the media, he demanded the Lahore High Court declare the election of PA speaker void, alleging that law and the constitution was violated.
Attaullah Tarar said the election of speaker had to be held through secret ballot as per the law but unfortunately, it was not followed. It was disclosed during the voting that ballot papers were issued with same serial numbers printed on ballot papers and counterfoil to identify the voter which was violation of rules, he mentioned.
He said the PML-N had filed a petition in the Lahore High Court in this regard and demanded that the court being the custodian of the constitution and human rights, should declare the election null and void.
He criticized the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leadership for electing Ch Pervaiz Elahi as their chief minister. He said the PML-N would remain committed for across the board accountability.
On the occasion, Rana Mashhood said that rigging was committed first time in the parliamentary history by violating rules openly and demanded that entire elections process should be declared as illegal.
