Islamabad, July 23, 2018(DNA): Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed, Chairman, Central Media Committee of the PML-N has said that PML-N was not being provided a level-playing field in elections scheduled to be held on July 25 and in this regard, he cited facts to prove his assertion. He made these remarks during a briefing for the 20-member Commonwealth Election Observers delegation, in which he was accompanied by Senator Nuzhat Sadiq, Chairperson, PML-N Women’s Wing.

During the hour long meeting, which took place in a local hotel, Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed presented 3 documents to the Commonwealth Election Observers delegation which is headed by the former President of Nigeria.

These documents include a Fact Sheet on “Murder of Justice”, which is a recounting of the trial and conviction of PML-N Quaid, Mohammad Nawaz Sharif. In this Fact Sheet, Senator Mushahid Hussain explained that on page 171 of the judgment of the NAB court, delivered on July 6, Mr. Nawaz Sharif has been acquitted of any charges of corruption, commission or kickbacks, under Section 9(A)IV of the NAB law.

However, in a travesty of justice, Mr. Nawaz Sharif has been convicted of having “assets beyond his sources of income”, although neither the assets and their value has been specified, nor the income of Mr. Nawaz Sharif has been cited.

Senator Mushahid Hussain also presented another Fact Sheet on “Uneven Playing Field”, where specific facts have been listed that show how the PML-N has been targeted in a systematic and sustained manner. Citing examples in this regards, Senator Mushahid Hussain referred to the peaceful and mammoth rally of Lahore on July 13 to welcome Mr. Nawaz Sharif, after which false cases of terrorism were slapped on 18 top leaders and activists of the PML-N including the President of the PML-N, Mr. Shahbaz Sharif as well as the Spokesperson of the Party, Ms. Marriyum Aurangzeb. Apart from the unprecedented and draconian steps of false cases, 16,868 workers and leaders had cases registered against them which is an all-time record in the history of Pakistan. Moreover, the Caretaker Government, which is supposed to be politically neutral, had blacked out the rally of the PML-N from television screens who were barred from showing it live and all cell phone services in Lahore were suspended during the duration f the rally, an unprecedented step taken during the civilian government.

Senator Mushahid Hussain also briefed the Commonwealth Election Observers on the Anti-Rigging System (ARS) which the PML-N has established formulated to expose and prevent rigging so as to ensure a free, fair and transparent poll. The Commonwealth Election Observers expressed keen interest in the ARS terming it as a unique system that a political party had formulated for the first time ever.

Senator Mushahid Hussain said that as the largest and the most popular political party of Pakistan, the PML-N is committed to promote, preserve and protect democracy so that the sanctity of the ballot and supremacy of parliament, the two pillars of democracy, have a secured foundation. He said that the PML-N is in no doubt that if the elections are free, fair and transparent, the people of Pakistan will repose their confidence in PML-N which has delivered on combating terrorism, eliminating load shedding, building infrastructure plus health and education and launching of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which is the biggest developmental project in the history of Pakistan.

Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed and Senator Nuzhat Sadiq, who briefed the Commonwealth Observers on the role of women in the politics of Pakistan, thanked the Commonwealth Election Observers delegation for the keen interest in promoting democracy in Pakistan and ensuring a transparent electoral process leading up to a vote on July 25 in a free and fair manner