#SenateElection2021: Ali Haider Gilani Trends After Video Showing How To Waste Vote Goes Viral

The Senate Elections 2021 are to be held on Wednesday, 3rd March. On Tuesday, an alleged video of Yousuf Raza Gilani’s son, Ali Haider Gilani emerged, where he was purportedly demonstrating to the lawmakers how to cancel their vote.

یوسف رضا گیلانی کا بیٹا سینٹ میں ووٹوں کی خریداری کرتے اور ووٹ ضائع کرنے کے نسخے بتاتا پکڑا گیا۔یہ ہے پی ڈی ایم اور انکے متفقہ امیدوار یوسف گیلانی کا کردار۔ جس پر گیلانی صاحب فرماتے ہیں لوگ میرے کردار کو دیکھ کر ووٹ دیں گے#ہار_چور_ووٹ_چور pic.twitter.com/w1IFiY00T7

— PTI (@PTIofficial) March 2, 2021

As soon as the video surfaced, the ruling government strongly protested against the action. The PTI MNAs demanded the Election Commission of Pakistan to disqualify Yousuf Raza Gilani (one of the most important candidates from the opposition) and for him to prevented from contesting for Senate.

Also read: #SenateElection2021 – 5 Times Pakistani Politicians Chanted The Wrong Slogan & Were Left Red-Faced

Minister for Science and Technology, Fawad Chaudhry addressed the media on Tuesday night, briefing that he was here to file a reference, but the ECP was closed for the day, hence he will file the petition on Wednesday morning.

Chaudhry also added,

“I hope the Chief Election Commissioner takes notice of the video and the ECP plays its role in making Senate elections transparent in Pakistan.”

Mr. Chaudhry further explained that the Supreme Court gave clear instructions to the ECP to make use of technology to eradicate horse-trading in Senate Polls. However, the ECP said that it could not change its method in this election. Fawad Chaudhry said now that the video has emerged, it “proves the ECP’s point of view wrong.”

“We are filing a reference in Election Commission of Pakistan to disqualify Yousuf Raza Gillani per their responsibilities in Article 218 and 220.” @fawadchaudhry @FarrukhHabibISF @KanwalMna pic.twitter.com/oR1hZnK7Y2

— PTI (@PTIofficial) March 2, 2021

Later, after his address, Chaudhry took to his Twitter to announce that the ECP had taken notice of the video, and that the PTI is happy about it.

الیکشن کمیشن نے سینیٹ الیکشن کی خریدوفروخت کی ویڈیو کا نوٹس لے لیا ہے، یہ انتہائ خوش آئند اقدام ہے اور تحریک انصاف اس کا خیر مقدم کرتی ہے ، کچھ دیر تک PDM کے امیدوار کی نااھلیت کا ریفرنس بھی الیکشن کمیشن میں دائر کر دیا جائیگا۔

— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) March 2, 2021

Although the science minister did not manage to file his petition on Tuesday, PTI MNAs Farrukh Habib and Kanwal Shauzab managed to submit their writ on that day.

آئین کا آڑٹیکل 218 اور الیکشن ایکٹ 2017 میں قوانین بہت واضح ہے شق 167 کرپٹ پریکٹسسز ، شق 168 ووٹر کو رشوت دینے کے حوالے سے ، شق 175 غیر قانونی پریکٹسسز کے حوالے سے کافی کلئیر ہے اور اعتراف جرم کر چکے ہے لحاظہ اب سب الیکش کمیشن سے اس پر کاروائی کے منتظر ہے pic.twitter.com/JQlJB2Asc7

— Farrukh Habib (@FarrukhHabibISF) March 2, 2021

Ali Haider Gilani comments on the video

Ali Haider Gilani in a presser confirmed that it was indeed him in the video, but he was approached by PTI MNAs who told him they wanted to vote for Yousuf Raza Gilani. Haider said that he only told them how to waste their votes, so that this goes in favor of his father.

I was approached by different MNA’s at several occasions, as they are not happy with the candidate selection of PTI and it’s their right to vote against their party candidate if they will. It’s a pertinent question as to if this is the Govt’s last shot at saving face! https://t.co/BIKNQxpZPC

— Ali Haider Gilani (@ahaidergilani86) March 2, 2021

Haider further requested the ECP to look into this matter and investigate who put those PTI MNAs to the task. He also added that the ruling government has used him as a mule to malign his credibility.

ECP should take action of who put these MNA’s to this task. I would meet MNA’s as constituents, I can not know what their intentions are. When unable to find dirt on the candidate, the govt has tried to malign me as a last resort. #SenateElections2021

— Ali Haider Gilani (@ahaidergilani86) March 2, 2021

I am not only ready rather I would request ECP to probe into the matter of such videos surfacing the media right before the Election in a desperate attempt to malign the candidate as they know they can not face him in the battlefield! #SenateElections2021

— Ali Haider Gilani (@ahaidergilani86) March 2, 2021

Yousuf Raza Gilani also responded to the allegations against his son, deeming them as “baseless.”