Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) nominee for prime minister, Omar Ayub Khan, delivered a fiery speech during a National Assembly session on Sunday, criticizing the coalition government for what he perceived as unfair electoral practices and a lack of ideology. Khan, addressing the assembly, voiced grievances over the results of the election, stating that PTI did not receive the seats it should have and that the election of the speaker, deputy speaker, and the prime minister was therefore illegal.
Referring to the members of the coalition government in the house as “beneficiaries” of Form-47, Khan asserted that had the results been announced as per Form-45, PTI would have secured 180 seats in the National Assembly. He expressed dissatisfaction with the media coverage, stating that when PM-elect Shehbaz Sharif was speaking, the camera was on him, and his speech should also be covered live.
Khan highlighted recent protests held by the party against alleged electoral malpractice, revealing that cases were filed against 80 PTI members in Lahore alone. He criticized the coalition’s claims of democracy in light of these actions.“You have snatched our electoral symbol from us, you have snatched the result of Form 45, but we stood, we are standing, and we will stand until Imran Khan takes the oath of prime minister,” Khan declared.
Demanding accountability for the violence on May 9, Khan called for a judicial inquiry into the incidents, urging the release of video footage to uncover the truth. The session witnessed tension as PML-N leaders, including Atta Tarar, Osama Sarwar, and Anjum Aqeel, rallied around Khan, chanting slogans of “watch thief.” However, upon a request from Asad Qaiser, PML-N MNAs ceased the slogans and returned to their seats.