Shahbaz criticises PM Khan for not forming parliamentary body to probe ‘rigging’

PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif on Saturday said that Prime Minister Imran Khan had announced to form a parliamentary commission to probe the opposition's allegations regarding rigging, “but three weeks have passed but the commission has not been formed yet”.

Addressing a press conference in Lahore — flanked by former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, and former ministers Ahsan Iqbal and Marriyam Aurangzeb — the former Punjab chief minister also criticised that the PTI-led government has increased the prices of electricity and fertilisers in the first 20 days of its tenure.

Shahbaz Sharif further claimed that the people did not elect Imran Khan, instead “he secured power through rigging”.

Commenting on the accountability and austerity measures initiated by PM Khan, Shahbaz Sharif alleged that advertisements worth millions were given for the auction of luxury cars, adding that “accountability should be held across-the-board”.

Regarding the call for donations for the Diamer-Bhasha dam, he said that there was no need to make an appeal for funds, instead, "the investors should be encouraged to invest in the mega project".

Responding to the allegations levelled by the Leader of Opposition in National Assembly, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry said, “The opposition has so far failed to elaborate the nature of their rigging allegations.”

The minister said the government was ready to constitute a commission but the opposition has not yet submitted Terms of References (TORs) to probe the alleged rigging charges.

He regretted that the opposition was using the issue of election rigging as a political stunt, that too without producing any concrete evidence in this regard. “The opposition should better present concrete proposals to probe the alleged rigging,” Chaudhry maintained.