PTI has leg up on campaigning from UC-31

Party’s union councillor says they built a lot of goodwill in past two years

ISLAMABAD: During the 2016 local government elections in the capital, the PTI won very few seats in the metropolitan corporation. But it did win a few seats in a key constituency in the capital which could prove telling in the July 25 polls.

Islamabad’s Union Council-31 — which comprises middle and low-income areas of Sector G-7 including Sitara Market, Khadda Market, Bank Colony, Faisal Colony, Muslim Colony, Shapir Colony, Allama Iqbal Colony and Christian Colony —  saw Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidate win in the 2016 local body polls.

It is now part of national assembly constituency NA-53 where PTI Chairman Imran Khan is contesting from against another heavyweight, former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi. As many as 34 other candidates are also in the running from the constituency.

As the general elections roll around, the party has decided to bank on its goodwill in the area to create a platform for its larger campaign.

The UC has a population of around 45,000 people with registered voters numbering just over 32,000.

In the 2016 local body elections, PTI’s candidate Ahmed Khan received 2,294 votes, while his closest competitor only mustered 1,800 votes.

The PTI accuses its rivals, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) for neglecting the needs of capital’s residents which is why it is facing an acute water shortage this summer along with a host of other issues.

Ahmed, though, also holds the city mayor, PML-N’s Sheikh Anser Aziz, the management of the Islamabad Municipal Cooperation and the bureaucracy in the Capital Development Authority (CDA) for the issues in the area.

During a survey of the UC conducted by Daily Express, the area is plagued by massive water shortages. To make matters worse, the sewerage lines are leaking in different parts of the UC. As a result, sewerage mixes with the clean water supply, making it extremely dangerous for the public.

Parties campaigning in the area have easy access to most of the residents, even in the slums.

While PTI holds a slight edge, the resident of Christian colonies largely favours the All Pakistan Muslim League —because some of those slums were made permanent under the reign of former dictator General (retired) Pervez Musharraf.

The slums have considerable vote bank and can play its part in any candidates’ success or failure.

PTI’s local leaders, however, claim that they have managed to woo some people from these slums. Ahmed says that the party’s top priority is to provide basic facilities such as water to the residents of the capital. He promised that developmental work will be carried out wholeheartedly.

Moreover, steps will be taken for the allotment of a separate quota for residents of the federal capital.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 9^th, 2018.