PESHAWAR: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has summoned Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmaker from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly Abdul Salam Afridi for allegedly vote buying in the Senate elections.
A WhatsApp chat had surfaced of the PTI lawmaker being offered money for selling out his vote ahead of Senate elections with an alleged frontman of a PML-N candidate. The Election Commission took notice of the news reports and as sought an explanation from him.
The ECP issued a notice and has asked the MPA to provide an explanation of the offer being made to him for allegedly selling out his vote. He has been asked to appear before the ECP’s vigilance committee along with the evidence.
A day before the Senate elections on March 3, a WhatsApp chat emerged showing how an alleged middle man of a PML-N candidate was attending to buy the vote of MPA Abdul Salam Afridi.
The WhatsApp messages were sent from a man identified as Adil Shah to the lawmaker which shows an attempt to reach a covert deal.
“My commission will be 50,” the message from the man said without giving any details if it was millions or a percentage. He sent a message that they had already finalised a deal with two lawmakers and transferred the amount to them.
Adil Shah further said in the Whatsapp chat that he would get Rs3 million. The PTI lawmaker responded that the situation is quite tense and no one is ready to trust anyone and this could disgrace both of them.
Speaking to a private channel, Abdul Salam Afridi said that he had already conveyed the matter to the PTI leadership, adding he was asked to meet Abbas Afridi but he refused.
