A swift move by chief of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan neutralised the efforts of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) to convince former super star cricketer Shoaib Akhtar, dubbed as Rawalpindi Express, to support the election campaign of its candidate Hanif Abbasi in NA-56.
Sources said PML-N’s candidate from NA-56 Hanif Abbasi visited the residence of Shoaib Akhtar some days back and requested him to support his election campaign against PTI chief Imran Khan but the Rawalpindi Express showed his inability to immediately take any decision in this respect.
The sources said as the news of their meeting caught the ear of Imran Khan he approached Shoaib Akhtar and held meeting with him the same day. The meeting between both former star cricketers proved fatal to the PML-N’s candidate as Shoaib Akhtar conveyed to Hanif Abbasi that he would not support him in his election campaign.
They said Hanif Abbasi at once contacted the leadership of the PML-N and then again came to Shoaib Akhtar with an offer for a senate ticket in future. He informed Shoaib Akhtar that his party chief Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif is keen to give him party ticket in next Senate election but all his efforts failed to convince the former cricket star who had already made commitment with Imran Khan, the sources added.
The sources close to Shoaib Akhtar confided to this correspondent that he would go to Saudi Arabia to perform Umra next month so no one would be able again to contact him for any kind of support for the election campaign. When contacted for version, a person who introduced himself as Imran and personal assistant of Hanif Abbasi put a very strange condition for a version saying “If Shoaib Akhtar gives any indication that he will support election campaign then you should write that Hanif Abbasi met Shoaib Akhtar and requested him to extend his support in the election campaign and if he (Shoaib) is not willing to do so then our version is that no such meeting was held.”
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Re: PML-N’s bid to engage Shoaib thwarted by Imran
People who support PPP because its Bhutto’s party have a reason, even though its a retarded one.
But I will never understand people who support:
Translation:
I was finance minister from 80-85, wazir from 85-90, PM from 90-93, 97-99. In fed gov from 09-10, SS a wazir from 09-13, yet we did as much work as a pianist with no hands, but please vote for us maybe we can bring change
