The election results are rather a reality check for the PTI
FAISALABAD: In a surprising turn of events, the ruling PML-N has once again, after the NA-120 by-election, defeated the candidate of its bitter political foe, the PTI, in NA-154 in Lodhran. This happened despite the fact that Imran Khan held a public meeting in the constituency in violation of the rules set by the Election Commission of Pakistan. In contrast, Nawaz Sharif did not organise any rally or public gathering in the same constituency. The by-election for the constituency was announced after Jehangir Tareen was disqualified following the Supreme Court’s verdict in one of the cases against him.
Given the political turmoil the PML-N has gone through, the PTI was expected to win because of not only its strengthened political standing but also for Lodhran being PTI’s Jehangir Tareen’s constituency prior to his disqualification. Hence, the election results are rather a reality check for the PTI as voters rejected hereditary politics and have chosen the PML-N over it.
Mohsin Ali
Published in The Express Tribune, February 14th, 2018.
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