PTI leaders reacted to news of former prime minister Yousaf Raza Gilani pulling a shock upset over the ruling party’s candidate, Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh in the Senate elections.
PTI’s Faisal Javed Khan congratulated PTI’s Fauzia Arshad for securing 174 votes in the Senate election, saying that her winning margin was evidence enough that “there was a clear horse-trading on the men’s seat”.
‘Horse trading at its peak’: Faisal Javed
PTI’s Faisal Javed Khan claimed that horse trading was rife during the elections and called for a probe into the matter.
“We are with you Imran Khan — You are sole fighter against corruption and you will win insha’ALLAH,” he said.
‘Money won’: Dr Firdous Awan
Special Assistant to the Chief Minister on Information, Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan reacted to Shaikh’s loss by saying that “money had won”.
‘Opposition should prove majority, or accept crime’: Fawad Chaudhry
Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry said that the Opposition must prove that it has a majority in the National Assembly, or else accept its “crime” of having “bought the election”.
“Imran Khan has given them a big challenge by deciding to take a vote of confidence,” he said.
‘Dead conscience’: Murad Saeed
“The people celebrating after buying seats have a dead conscience. Thank you for proving that Imran Khan’s narrative is right,” Federal minister Murad Saeed said.
Gilani pulls upset over Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh
After a hotly contested electoral battle, former prime minister Yousaf Raza Gillani emerged victorious against the ruling party’s Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh on Wednesday.
After the result was announced, Abdul Hafeez Shaikh and the former prime minister shook hands and hugged each other. The news of Hafeez’s defeat was told to him by Zain Qureshi — who was the minister’s polling agent — following which the two men embraced each other.
Reacting to news of Gilani’s victory, PPP chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari tweeted “Democracy is the best revenge”.