ISLAMABAD: Criticizing the ruling coalition in the National Assembly, Omar Ayub Khan, a candidate of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) for Prime Minister’s slot and lawmaker from Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC), referred to newly elected Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif as a creation of Form 47, a document detailing unofficial results of a constituency.
PTI alleged that their mandate was stolen in the February 8 general elections, citing alterations in Form 47s. They claimed to have won 180 National Assembly seats based on Form 45 statistics, also known as the Presiding Officer's Results of the Count, which record votes cast in polling stations.
Form 45 is signed by the presiding officer and provides the number of votes cast and received by each candidate in a polling station. Form 47, on the other hand, consolidates the votes from all polling stations in a constituency by the Returning Officer.
In a parliamentary session following his defeat in the PM election, Ayub criticized the Shehbaz-led government, labeling it as a continuation of the previous regime led by the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM). He recalled grievances with the former ruling party, including the refusal to halt voting for reserved speaker and deputy speaker slots.
Ayub accused the ruling alliance of unfairly rejecting PTI candidates' nomination papers before the elections and demanded an independent inquiry into the violence on May 9. This unrest followed the arrest of the former PM in a corruption case, leading to the incarceration of numerous PTI members.
During his speech, Ayub highlighted alleged discrepancies in the treatment of political figures, mentioning the preferential treatment given to Nawaz Sharif at the airport. He reiterated PTI's belief in their stolen mandate and claimed their seats would have reached 180 if elected MNAs based on Form 45 had participated.
Amid protests from the ruling alliance, Ayub demanded an impartial investigation into the killings of PTI supporters on May 9 and called for the release of detained party members, including the former PM and his wife.
