ISLAMABAD: Federal Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique on Friday said that he has spent two and half years in hope to get justice however, he is being punished for winning election.
He criticised Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) while talking to the media outside Supreme Court (SC) of Pakistan after hearing of NA-125 case.
Rafique said that PTI believes in sheer criticism until a point when allegations start to seem true. He said that arguments had concluded in case against him on November 19 however, counsel for PTI’s losing candidate, Hamid Khan filed an adjournment plea.
The federal minister said that the Hamid did not even step up in favour of recounting of votes in NA-125. Hamid Khan ran away from recounting when the judge asked for it, he added.
Rafique said that Hamid also forwarded adjournment pleas in election tribunal. PTI had maintained before the tribunal that the party wants recounting, he added.
While talking about local body (LB) elections in Punjab, he thanked the people for pledging support to Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N). He urged returning officers (RO) to realize their job demands and take steps to curb mismanagement.
Railways Minister said that Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) should also be made authoritative in this regard.
In a hearing held earlier this week, Rafique’s counsel Khawaja Haris said that the tribunal had raised two points in its verdict. Non-compliance of provisions of People’s Representation Act 1976 and corrupt practices, he added.
Haris further had said that tribunal’s verdict was based on mere speculation and in no way holds his client guilty of rigging.
On September 5, Rafique had announced taking the matter to the Supreme Court after election tribunal had ruled for re-election in NA-125 over rigging allegations of PTI. The PML-N winning candidate had filed an appeal against the tribunal’s verdict in the SC.
The Supreme Court annulled the tribunal’s verdict and stopped holding of re-election in the National Assembly (NA) constituency.
