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Hearing before election tribunal: Imran’s allegations are baseless: Ayaz Sadiq Agencies
LAHORE: National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq has said that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan’s allegations against him are baseless. The speaker made these remarks while recording his statement before an election tribunal in Lahore on Saturday over alleged rigging in the NA-122 constituency. During the hearing, Sadiq’s two-page long, written statement suggested that elections in NA-122 were transparent. Nothing has been done that questions transparency of elections, he added. Prosecutors of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan argued over the speaker’s statement. Sadiq rejected the allegations levelled against him and said that the NA-122 constituency had seen fair and transparent polls. The NA speaker added that even after a re-count was carried out, he had won 8,500 more votes than Imran. Sadiq had defeated Imran Khan in the 2013 general election from NA-122 and the PTI had challenged the results. Talking to the media after hearing, Sadiq said that the case is sub judice and “neither I nor Imran Khan is to give the verdict; Justice Kazim Malik is to decide in the light of evidence, not desires”. He accused Khan of conducting his media trial for 128 days without any proof. “My status requires me to be unbiased and respectful; so I am,” he told. He said that he has filed his petition before God and He shall do justice. Sadiq affirmed that he would retain his office as National Assembly Speaker till 2018, adding that voters and supporters in NA-122 had elected him for the third time. Court summoned lawyers of Sadiq and Khan on February 14 for final arguments. Earlier, when the NA speaker reached the tribunal for hearing Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) workers had gathered outside the election commission’s office and many even entered the premises of the building despite court’s clear instructions to appear alone, without protocol. Justice Kazim Malik told that the case proceedings would not continue unless the workers leave the premises upon which Ayaz Sadiq advised his supporters to walk away; the hearing began once the court was cleared of. Sadiq said that in 1964 he and Khan used to play hockey together. Once his hockey stick injured Imran Khan and perhaps Khan wanted to take revenge of that incident after 50 years, he said in a lighter vein.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk