Pak opposition party PML-N says Imran Khan-led PTI running away from Lahore by-polls due to fear of defeat

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) on Sunday said that Imran Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI's) government is running away from Lahore by-elections due to fear of defeat.

PTI had asked Election Commission to postpone upcoming NA-133 (Lahore) by-polls, reported The News International.

On Saturday, PML-N had also rejected the demand of the Punjab government to postpone the NA-133 by-election on the basis of the ongoing protests by the banned Tehreek-e-Labaik Pakistan (TLP).

News International has already published a story about the possible disqualification of PTI candidate Jamshed Iqbal Cheema and his covering candidate his wife Mussarat Cheema as votes of their proposers were not in the constituency and Election Commission Saturday announced the disqualification of both the candidates.

Sources in the PTI circles claimed that the nomination of proposers belonging to another constituency as a result of an internal rift between the PTI leadership but the leaders rejected these allegations earlier.

Senior PML-N leader Kh Saad Rafique along with MNAs Ali Pervaiz Malik and Naseer Bhutta held a press conference Saturday and rejected the demand of the Punjab government.

Saad said the government was making excuses to postpone the by-election in NA-133 because it knew it will face a humiliating defeat in this election.

He said the TLP protest was taking place some 200 km away from Lahore and had nothing to do with the by-elections in NA-133, reported The News International.

He said the government didn't remember the law and order situation when the Election Commission released the schedule but as soon as objections were raised on the PTI candidate Jamshed Iqbal Cheema and his covering candidate Musarrat Cheema, the government started making excuses.

"If elections can be held during corona, then why not now?" he questioned and said the laws made through the ordinance will be challenged, they have no legal status, the present government was a product of rigging, the victory of our sister Shaista Pervaiz Malik was certain.

The former minister said the election arena was ready, now the government wanted to flee. He said during the last three and a half years the biggest province of the country has been destroyed. He said false excuses should not affect the election schedule, reported The News International.

MNA Ali Pervaiz Malik said after the rejection of Jamshed Iqbal's nomination papers, the PTI started making excuses.

Meanwhile, PTI's candidate Jamshed Cheema along with party leader Ijaz Chaudhry also held a press conference and announced that the party will approach all legal forums to contest the technical mistake.

(ANI)

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