Pervez Rasheed and Ahsan Iqbal said that this decision was taken in a meeting of party's "key" leaders under the chair of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. They said that a legal team of the party also participated in the meeting. They said failing to challenge tribunal's decision will set a wrong precedent. They said that in the meeting Khawaja Saad Rafiq was of the view to contest the bye-polls instead of going for an appeal but the party's legal advisers insisted that verdict is in itself contradictory. They said that in its decision, the election tribunal did not declare Khawaja Saad Rafique guilty. They said that election tribunal in its decision said irregularities were committed in the election process.
While quoting the decision of election tribunal, they said, "no evidence, though, is available on the record that the Returned Candidate or any other candidate was responsible for missing record, or even for invalid statements of count. We also have no evidence on record about any conspiracy or collusion or mala fides on the part of the DRO, the RO, the polling personnel and the Retuned Candidate. No proof of illegal gratification or undue influence is received against any member of the polling personnel."
They said that the results of recent elections in cantonment boards have authenticated that general elections held in 2013 were purely fair and transparent. They said that popularity of Imran Khan is decreasing. They also quoted another excerpt from the judgement, "Admitted, the onus of proving allegation of corrupt or illegal practice lies upon the party alleging the same and standard of proof for affirmative finding on account of corrupt or illegal practices is required as of Quasi Criminal Jurisdiction."
Ahsan Iqbal said the party leadership has decided to challenge the election tribunal's verdict in the apex court following consultations with legal experts. He said the tribunal ordered re-election in the constituency on the basis of administrative irregularities and not because of illegalities. Therefore, there was no justification to disenfranchise electorate on the basis of administrative irregularities, he said.
Iqbal slammed Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan for "celebrating the tribunal's decision as a victory." "We have been saying from day one that rules and procedures exist in Pakistan where PTI's grievances can be addressed. Today, they are celebrating the tribunal's decision; but the tribunal was there even during the dharna," said the PML-N leader.
Ahsan Iqbal said that international rating agencies are acknowledging economic developments in Pakistan but, he alleged, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan wants to derail the economy. He alleged that Imran Khan is working against country's economy and 'confusing' investors. Ahsan Iqbal said PTI chief has realised that they won't be able to defeat PML-N in the 2018 elections. To a question, the Information Minister said Khawaja Saad Rafiq would contest the case in the Supreme Court and an appeal is expected to be filed during the next few days.