“It was likely that need for the long march might not arise” says Maryam Nawaz

F.P. Report

LAHORE: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Vice-President Maryam Nawaz on Saturday said that although Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) planned to set out on a long march after Daska by-election on March 18th, it was likely that need for the long march might not arise. 

Talking to the media at Jati Umra in Lahore, the PML-N vice-president asked Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) as to why it was appealing the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) verdict of ordering re-election in NA-75, Daska when it, as per its own claim, had nothing to hide.

She questioned if the PTI was so sure that it enjoyed the support of the masses, then why was it retreating in the constituency?

“The reason why you are dying to protect the officials involved in ‘rigging’ in Daska by-election is that they would disclose your names,” she alleged.  

She opined the very fact that the ruling party was challenging the ECP’s decision showed that it had manipulated the election results.

Maryam, however, refused to comment when asked about the ‘compromise’ reached between her party and the PTI with respect to Senate elections in Punjab which earned both the parties seats in the Upper House proportionate to their numerical strengths.

She said that Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani, PDM candidate for the Senate elections from Islamabad, was busy approaching the lawmakers, and this is what he is supposed to do.

She claimed that the PTI would suffer a humiliating defeat at the hands of PML-N in re-election in NA-75, Daska.

Maryam further claimed that even PTI legislators were not willing to vote for the party candidates in elections for Upper House of the parliament.

“’Selected’ PM Imran Khan’s poor performance has dented his vote bank,” she commented.

 She said just like her Hamza Shehbaz was also a party worker.

“We both will complete the assignments given to us by the party,” she added.