PTI investigation reveals five women lawmakers among 20 sold their loyalties in Senate election

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf says at least twenty of its lawmakers in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly allegedly sold their votes during recent Senate elections.

This was revealed in an investigation report of the party and also later acknowledged by the party Chief Imran Khan at a news conference in Islamabad on Wednesday.

The report further said PTI members received 600 million rupees in exchange for changing their loyalties.

The report reveals that three PTI members of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly received 114 million rupees on 27th of February while five PTI members received 40 million each on 28th February.

Six members of the party received 30 million rupees each on first and second of last month. In one case, a woman member of the KP Assembly on second of last month came to receive the money in Islamabad. She demanded 50 million rupees but was offered 40 million rupees. 

A charge sheet will be issued to the lawmakers to seek an explanation of their actions, Imran said, adding that their names will also be sent to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB). 

"The investigation committee will give proofs to NAB on how these lawmakers were bribed," the PTI chief said, challenging other parties to oust their corrupt members.

The party later took to Twitter to name all those found involved in ‘horse-trading’. 

Nargis Ali, Dina Naz, Nagina Khan, Naseem Hayat, and Fauzia Bibi were named as the female PTI lawmakers who had sold votes. 

Among the male PTI lawmakers who were found guilty of selling votes by PTI's investigation committee were Sardar Idrees, Obaid Mayar, Zahid Duranni, Abdul Haq, Qurban Khan, Amjid Afridi, Javed Naseem, Yasin Khali, Faisal Zaman, and Sami Alizayi.

The PTI chief also named Mairaj Humayun from Qaumi Watan Party, Khatoon Bibi and Babar Saleem from Awami Jamhuri Ittehad Pakistan, and Wajeeh uz Zaman from Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz (PML-N) for being involved in selling votes during the elections of the Upper House of the Parliament. 

Some analysts had pointed out that making names public would stoke differences within the party, opening doors of conflict for Khan and K-P Chief Minister Pervez Khattak.