Don’t think Murad Saeed will take oath: Aqeel Malik

ISLAMABAD: He doesn’t think that PTI’s Murad Saeed will take oath, Minister of State for Law and Justice Barrister Aqeel Malik said on Monday, as the absconding former federal minister was elected as a Senate member earlier in the day.

The reason Malik cited is the cases in which Murad Saeed, a confidant of incarcerated Imran Khan, is wanted in multiple cases, including the May 9 violence, in which he has been accused of masterminding the protests that targeted the state institutions.

He was expressing his views in Faisala Aap Ka – a prime time talk show hosted by Asma Shirazi – while replying to various questions.

Interestingly, Murad Saeed emerged as topped the list of those with respect to the votes, as his tally stood at 26.

Azam Swati, Faisal Javed Khan, Mirza Khan Afridi, Pir Noorul Haq Qadri and Rubina Naz are the other successful PTI candidates.

Meanwhile, the opposition managed to get five new senators, including Adnan Amir Muqam and Dilawar Khan (PML-N), Talha Mahmood and Rubina Khalid (PPP), and Maulana Atta-ul-Haq Dervish (JUI-F).

‘TICKET-TRADING’

Malik, who obtained his degree in law from the UK, said Murad Saeed is in hiding for a long period and he would have to face the cases.

It is impossible that no one would arrest the PTI leader if he comes to take oath, the PML-N leader remarked and added that he should first obtain protective bails [in all cases] in case he was interested to join the Upper House of the Parliament.

Read more: Speaker violated constitution, no-confidence may be next: Kundi

At the same time, he said that the arrangement reached in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for the Senate polls was meant to stop horse-trading.

However, the “ticket-trading” in PTI could not be avoided, Malik remarked.

PTI WANTS ESTABLISHMENT

As the state minister mentioned the example of deal concerning the Senate elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, he also noted that the PTI opts for adjustment where ever it is advantageous.

The PTI wants enters into dialogue with political parties in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, but wants to talk to establishment at the Centre, he noted.

It is worth nothing that Imran has himself mentioned on multiple occasions regretfully that the establishment doesn’t talk to him [his party].

But at the same time, his statements shared through social media show that he attacks the establishment directly whenever there is no hope of any favourable progress in his cases.

Read next: Ruling coalition gets two-thirds Senate control with six-seat win