Ayub doubles down on claims Raja being chosen envoy

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-insaf (PTI) leader Omar Ayub has claimed that Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja will be appointed ambassador in a Western country soon ater his return to Pakistan.

Speaking to media outside the Islamabad High Court (IHC), the PTI leader accused CEC Raja of going on foreign visits for enjoyment while claiming that he would be appointed ambassador to Canada ater returning to the country.

According to Omar Ayub, the ECP chief had let for a foreign country for “leisure”.

Ayub had earlier claimed that the federal government was making efforts to appoint CEC Sikandar Sultan Raja as ambassador to Canada.

Speaking on the National Assembly floor on March 13, the PTI leader demanded the resignation of CEC Raja accusing him of rigging the February 8 general elections.

Meanwhile, the PTI leader claimed that prepoll rigging was being conducted across the country ahead of the by-election.

He claimed that the number of polling stations have been reduced before the April 21 by-election in which at least 239 candidates were vying for 23 vacant seats in both national and provincial assemblies.

According to an official of the ECP, a total of 239 candidates will contest in the by-election, with 50 of them competing for vacant National Assembly seats.

In his talk, the PTI leader also thanked the court for “returning two NA and a provincial seat to the PTI”.

Ayub said that women party workers such as Aliya Hamza and Sanam Javed were not provided with basic necessities in jail. He lamented the treatment PTI women workers were facing during custody.

On the economic front, the PTI leader warned of a further hike in petroleum products’ prices, saying that the ruling coalition will rob the masses once against with the hike.

Sindh Governor Kamran Khan Tessori on Wednesday administered oath to eight more ministers as the provincial Sindh cabinet expanded.