Senate Election 2021 – ECP takes notice of Ali Haider Gillani' leaked video

ISLAMABAD – The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Tuesday taken notice of a viral video in which Ali Haider Gillani, the son of former prime minister Yousaf Raza Gillani, telling some lawmakers about how they can waste their votes to be cast in Senate elections set to be held tomorrow.

The commission in a statement said that it will investigate the matter on merit.
Furthermore, the ruling PTI has filed a petition with the ECP to declare Yousaf Raza Gillani ineligible.

Earlier today, a video of Ali Haider Gillani allegedly telling a lawmaker about how to waste his vote in polling for upper house of the parliament has surfaced on social media.

Yousaf Raza Gilani is in one-to-one contest with Finance Minister Abdul Hafeez Shaikh for General seat from Islamabad.

It is claimed that Ali Gillani, who is leader of the PPP and member of the Punjab Assembly, was trying to buy the vote in order to ensure the victory of his father.

Video Proof of #AliHaiderGillani showing MNA's how to waste their vote to favour Yousaf Raza Gillani in senate election. For Pakistani resistance these are the so called guardians of democracy in #Pakistan.#ہار_چور_ووٹ_چور vs #SenateElection2021 pic.twitter.com/dKQEx3dfKZ

— Malik Ali Raza (@MalikAliiRaza) March 2, 2021

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Political Communication Dr Shahbaz Gill urged the Election Commission of Pakistan to take notice of the video. He also called for polling through open ballot.

یوسف رضا گیلانی کے بیٹے کی ووٹ خریدتے ہوئے وڈیو سامنے آنے کے بعد الیکشن کمیشن کو ایکشن لینا چاہئیے۔ یوسف رضا گیلانی کے پاس اب کوئی اخلاقی جواز نہیں بچتا الیکشن لڑنے کا۔انہیں فوری طور پر انتخاب سے الگ ہو جانا چاہئیے۔ایسا چور خاندان جس میں بڑوں سے لے کر بچے تک چوری کرنے میں ماہر

— Dr. Shahbaz GiLL (@SHABAZGIL) March 2, 2021

Meanwhile, Ali Haider Gillani has confirmed the video but rejected an impression of buying the vote, stating that he was asking the PTI legislator to support his father in Senate elections.

I was telling them how to waste their vote in response to their query about what to do if party asks “them to show their votes,” he said.

“I have done nothing wrong. I am satisfied,” he said, adding: “We have never been involved in votes’ trading”.

Ali Haider Gillani further said that several other PTI lawmakers were present when the video was filmed.