ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan took Parliamentary Special Committee on Kashmir Chairman Shehryar Afridi to task for wasting his vote by mistakenly signing the ballot paper.
“You are an MNA. How can you make a mistake like this?” the prime minister reportedly told Afridi. “Everyone was informed about the voting procedure [beforehand]. You shouldn’t have made a mistake like this,” he said. “Don’t you know how to cast a ballot,” the premier censured the lawmaker.
Later, Afridi requested the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to let him cast his vote for the Senate elections afresh after he mistakenly signed the ballot paper. “It is submitted that I have been feeling unwell for the past few days and couldn’t attend the meetings of the party for preparations of elections,” he said.
The PTI leader said when he arrived at the parliament, the ECP staff failed to guide him. ” When I approached you to cast my vote I asked you and your staff but they failed to guide me. Later, I put my signature on the ballot papers instead of putting numbers. Therefore, I may be allowed to recast my vote,” he added.
Talking to a private television channel, Afridi said that there is no truth to reports that PM Imran Khan is unhappy with him. “When I told the Prime Minister about the ballot papers, he directed me to write to the returning officer [to allow him to re-cast his vote],” he said.
Afridi said that Prime Minister Imran did not doubt his loyalty. “The prime minister told me that I am his most trusted companion,” he said.
