Imran Khan slammed for giving 'political bribe' to lawmakers ahead of Senate polls

The major Pakistan Opposition parties have slammed Prime Minister Imran Khan for giving Rs 500 million development funds as "political bribe" to each legislator ahead of Senate elections.

The leaders of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) termed the announcement as another U-turn by the Prime Minister, recalling that while in the Opposition, Khan used to denounce the "act of the distribution of development funds" among lawmakers, Dawn reported.

Condemning the PM's announcement, PPP secretary Farhatullah Babar said that the funds have been announced for "political wheeling-dealing" ahead of the Senate elections.

Similarly, PPP Senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar said that Khan's announcement "at this point of time, the move seems to be a political bribe for lawmakers belonging to the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) so that they don't slip away and vote for the party's candidates in upcoming elections".

"Whatever the PTI stood for before elections, it seems that it is a different PTI which is ruling the country now. Before elections, it was a different Imran Khan and now we have a different Imran Khan," he added.

Terming Khan's announcement as a "U-turn", PML-N secretary general Ahsan Iqbal said that this move is his effort to keep the ruling alliance intact in the wake of the anti-government campaign of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) and to ensure that the party MPAs vote for "friends of Imran" in the upcoming Senate elections, Dawn stated.

On Wednesday, PM Imran Khan, during a parliamentary party meeting, had announced a grant of Rs 500 million for each member of the National Assembly and provincial assemblies under "sustainable development goals".

Elections for the Upper House of the bicameral Parliament is likely to be held in March when the six-year term of 52 out of 104 senators will expire.

( With inputs from ANI )