PTI MPA refuses to vote for party in Senate polls; two go ‘missing’

KARACHI: A member of the Sindh Assembly of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) announced on Monday that he will not vote for his party’s candidates, alleging that “a few candidates were given tickets only in exchange of money”.
In a video message, Karim Bux Gabol — who was elected from PS-100 Karachi East-II in the 2018 general elections — claimed that his party has given Senate tickets to candidates in exchange of money, adding that the Constitution of the country allows him to vote for any candidate.
“I am a PTI worker and will remain with the party, but cannot vote for its candidates in the Senate elections because the party has given the ticket to candidates in exchange of money,” he could be heard as saying in the video. He added that he cannot support such candidates who have “purchased” a ticket.
Criticising his own party for failing to deliver as per the people’s expectations, he said that Sindh was being given “step-motherly treatment” by the federal government.
The video message of the PTI MPA has come at a time when the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) have claimed to be in touch with members of assemblies belonging to the ruling party.
Meanwhile, PTI leader in Sindh Khurrum Sher Zaman has said, “PDM parties are busy in the purchase and sale of the assembly members in Sindh and other provinces. We will take legal action against those who are found guilty in floor crossing.”
He said that his government has approached the apex court to prevent corruption and bribery practices. “We are consulting with the leadership and legal team and action will be taken against those lawmakers who change party loyalty,” he added.
Speaking about Gabol, Zaman alleged that PPP has pressured many MPAs of his party by registering cases against them to change their loyalty. “Kareem Bux Gabol is among those who have succumbed to PPP pressure. We know where he is,” he added.
Zaman said that two other MPAs of PTI have also “gone missing” before the Senate election. “We cannot trace them. We know very well that the PPP government is involved in it,” he remarked.