LAHORE, Pakistan: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chief Imran Khan said that his party has won a moral victory in NA-122 despite the fact that its candidate lost to former Speaker National Assembly by a thin margin.
The former Speaker National Assembly and the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) candidate Sardar Ayaz Sadiq won the by-election in NA-122 Lahore on Sunday by securing 74,525 votes while the PTI’s Abdul Aleem Khan got 72,082 votes.
This is a moral victory for PTI – successfully challenging PMLN with its govt power & provincial EC. This election will strengthen PTI. 1/2
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) October 12, 2015
In a series of tweets on Monday, the PTI Chief congratulated Aleem Khan ‘for his hard work and persistence against two PML-N governmental machineries.’
Though the PTI lost the NA-122 by-election but its candidate Shoaib Siddique defeated the PML-N’s Mohsin Latif in PP-147. Imran Khan also congratulated Shoaib Siddique for wining the important Punjab assembly seat from Lahore.
Congratulations go to Aleem Khan for an epic fight against Punjab & Fed govts; & to Shoaib Siddiqui for winning PP 147. — Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) October 12, 2015
Imran said that an investigation into the number of votes cast by PTI supporters but thrown out of NA-122 at the last minute is underway. He said that the after the completion of the probe, they will approach the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).
We are investigating the number of PTI votes thrown out of NA122 at the last minute & will then approach the ECP.
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) October 12, 2015
However, Imran admitted his party defeat and said that they will learn from their mistakes done in NA-122, PP-147 and NA-144 by-elections. Moreover, he said that said that his party will counter the ‘rigging tactics by PML-N’ that they ‘were not prepared for again.’
2/2 We will learn from our mistakes & counter those rigging tactics by PMLN that we were not prepared for again. — Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) October 12, 2015
