ISLAMABAD: Fuming anger over Hamza Shahbaz’s staying as Punjab chief minister, PTI Chairman Imran Khan on Friday blamed former president Asif Ali Zardari for buying people with money.

“Asif Zardari buys people’s conscience with black money. He has been looting the country for 30 years. I am unable to fathom that what kind of a man Punjab Assembly deputy speaker is. All eyes are set on the Supreme Court now,” Imran Khan said in an address.

He said Asif Zardari became a part of the conspiracy and accompanied the Sharifs with him. Zardari had been staying there and he knew that the ex-president would offer people money, he said.

A market was established before all the nation at the Sindh House, where buying and selling of politicians took place, he maintained.

Read more: Punjab CM election: Hamza Shahbaz to stay as chief minister

The former prime minister said no action was taken when horse trading took place in Senate election. “Parliament does not have the armed force, rather it has ethical power,” he said.

He said whatever happened at the Punjab Assembly surprised him. Everyone saw the circus in which politicians were auctioned, he maintained.

Pakistan Muslim League-Q leader and Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf candidate Ch Parvez Elahi could not become chief minister of Punjab even after receiving 186 votes out of 371. Whereas, Pakistan Muslim League-N leader Hamza Shehbaz continued to stay as the CM even after bagging 179 votes.

Punjab Assembly’s session to elect new Leader of the House, with Deputy Speaker Sardar Dost Muhammad Mazari in the chair, began with delay of three hours at 7:00 pm on Friday. Pakistan Muslim League-N leader Hamza Shehbaz and PML-Q leader Chaudhry Parvez Elahi were contesting for the slot of Punjab CM.

Announcing the result, Dost Mazari said he had received a letter from Chaudhry Shujaat in which he directed his MPAs, as the party head, not to cast vote in favour of PTI candidate. He directed PML-Q MPAs to vote for Hamza Shahbaz.